In recent years, Prof. Zvi Peleg's laboratory at the Faculty of Agriculture has developed new sesame varieties with improved yield and quality adapted to mechanized harvesting, as part of a move to return this important crop to seed in Israel. However, there remains a significant challenge of dealing with weeds which can lead to a significant reduction in crops as a result of competition for resources.

Congratulations to Dr. Neta Shlezinger of Koret School of Veterinary Medicine for achieving Krill award.

Award Citation:
“for significant contributions in the study of pathogenic fungi, understanding the mechanisms that allow them to overcome the body’s immune system, and developing innovative methods to defend against them”

The rehabilitation of Kibbutz Holit advanced significantly as researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment teamed up with Intel revitalize its agriculture landscape in the Western Negev. This week Prof. Haim Rabinowitz and the project representatives presented their comprehensive plan to the President of Israel. As a gesture they gifted the President a basket of cherry tomatoes, a variety of tomatoes developed at the Faculty of Agriculture.

Roy Sadeh's master's thesis, supervised by Dr. Ittai Herrmann at the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, introduces a novel technique using spectral estimation models to assess water status in chickpea plants. The research also highlights the minimal impact of leaf area index on remotely estimating leaf water potintial. This advancement will help farmers enhance irrigation efficiency in chickpea fields, leading to increased crop yield.

A new study led by Prof. Saul Burdman, dean of the Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, found that watermalons and cantaloupes (as well as other melon species) are at risk of "infection" with a disease that severely affects them. Prof. Burdman's research is advancing knowledge about pathogenic bacteria in plants, and is leading to exploration of innovative methods for improving crop resilience to disease.