The Jewish calendar is built on agricultural holidays. The Shavuot holiday that takes place next week marks the end of the grain harvesting season and the bringing of first fruits to the temple that existed in Jerusalem. Even today, Shavuot is the holiday of the farmers, where they present their produce. This is also the perfect time to travel around Israel and get to know its historical and natural sites. I have no doubt that the agricultural research we are conducting enables farmers to produce their quality food, even in the challenging climatic conditions that exist in the desert.
Immediately after Shavuot, we will hold the 32nd Even-Ari Symposium.The Even-Ari Symposium is an annual meeting of scientists and plant and agriculture enthusiasts in honor of the late Prof. Michael Even-Ari at the Sde Boker Campus. This year's theme highlights research on roots. I invite all of you to this interesting and important conference that will present groundbreaking research in the field.
The institute's researchers are continuing to achieve great success, and we have recently won a number of research grants. Details of the studies can be found below. The BARD-funded projects focus on grapevine and sweet potatoes, in which the institute's researchers continue to develop agro-technologies
that make it possible to obtain a high-quality crop with fewer resources, while also ensuring environmental sustainability.
Good luck with the new research!
Meet the Student
Naomi Berda Swiderski
My name is Naomi Berda Swiderski, and I am a Ph.D. student in the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, under the supervision of Prof. Naftali Lazarovitch and Dr. Offer Rozenstein, from the Agricultural Research
Organization-Volcani Institute.
I was born in France, near Paris, and I studied environmental engineering at AgroParisTech, where I also specialized in remote sensing and data science. AgroParisTech gives general knowledge in all topics related to life science (health, agronomy,
forestry, food science, environment, ecology, etc.).
I spent a gap year in the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies, in 2018, where I met Dr. Elli Groner, an ecologist. I began to be interested in desert ecology and started to think about working in research in Israel.
In November 2020, I immigrated to Israel while doing my master’s thesis in the Dead Sea and Arava Science Center in Mitzpe Ramon, supervised by Dr. Groner. I worked on the water use efficiency of hyper-arid watersheds, comparing the differences between
ecosystems in different stream orders in dry riverbeds inside the Ramon Crater, using UAV images.
I like working in the field and observing nature, but I also like building models and developing theories that can predict natural behaviors.
I just started my Ph.D. project, which focuses on building an optimal irrigation and fertilization model for the growth of potatoes using remote sensing and meteorological data.
Chao Song, Tania Acuña, Michal Adler-Agmon, Shimon Rachmilevitch, Simon Barak and Aaron Fait
Grafting has been demonstrated to significantly enhance the salt tolerance of crops. However, breeding efforts to develop enhanced graft combinations are hindered by knowledge-gaps as to how rootstocks mediate scion-response to salt stress. We grafted the scion of cultivated M82 onto rootstocks of 254 tomato accessions (from different origins, such as S. lycopersicum L. var. lycopersicum, S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, and some wild species) in August–October 2017 in a plastic net house, located on the Sede Boqer campus of Ben-Gurion University, Israel. We explored the morphological and metabolic responses of grafts under saline conditions (EC = 20 dS m-1) as compared to self-grafted M82. Correlation analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator were performed to address the association between morphological diversification and metabolic perturbation. We demonstrate that grafting the same variety onto different rootstocks resulted in scion phenotypic heterogeneity and emphasized the productivity efficiency of M82 irrespective of the rootstock. Spectrophotometric analysis to test lipid oxidation showed largest variability of malondialdehyde (MDA) equivalents across the population, while the least responsive trait was the ratio of fruit fresh weight to total fresh weight (FFW/TFW). The correlation analysis and predictive modelling, integrating phenotype- and leaf metabolite data, suggest a potential predictive relation between a set of leaf metabolites and yield-related traits, such as harvest index and fruit fresh weight.
First BGU Radio Course for Academic Credit on the Sede Boker Campus
The first BGU Radio Academy Podcast Production course with academic credits to be held on the Sde Boker Campus took place as a concentrated one-week course during the spring break. Guided by Prof. Simon Barak and the BGU Radio Director, Dr. Buzi Raviv, eight students from the BIDR, BGRI, and the Marcus Family Campus learnt how to plan, research, write, record, and edit high-quality podcasts in our BGU Radio Sde Boker Campus studio. For their final assignment, the students produced two podcasts: “The BGRI Exodus: A Mosaic of Memories” dealing with memories from the old BGRI building, and “Sirens in the Desert” delving into the experiences of new international students.
Click this link, and enjoy listening to our students’ first podcasts.
Updates from the new lab for Dryland Microbial Ecology
We at the Dryland microbiology lab are making substantial progress in promoting our campus. Last month, we participated in the UN-funded conference Energy, Water Food Nexus International Summit, Florida, USA. We had the honor to present our work at the Global Access to Safe Water section. This section aims to share the latest discoveries in microbial ecology and how these findings contribute to achieving The UN Sustainable Development Goals. In parallel, we are continuing to build our lab here at Sde Boker. The ultracentrifuge has been installed and is ready to fill its role in decoding environmental factors which affect dryland ecosystems. Additionally, thanks to the synergistic contributions of Ms. Nitsan Dotan, Prof. Naftali Lazarovitch, and Mr. Ali Asa, we almost completed the lab renovation. Two new talented members have joined our team. Ms. Wout, a master's student from Maymar, has initiated a study to identify the effects of plastic contamination on soil microbial communities and plant productivity. The Israeli Microbiology Society warmly accepted Wout's initiative and invited Wout to present her study at the annual society conference. Ms. Natalie Toren is a Ph.D. student in our lab. The Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies noticed Natalie's potential and awarded her a High-Tech, Bio-Tech, and Chemo-Tech scholarship for Ph.D. studies. Natali is not only a highly talented researcher, but she is also an extremely positive person and is an engine behind The Gilat & FAAB Arid Agriculture and Biotech Student Symposium, which will take place on July 21st at the Ramat Negev R&D Center.
Projects, Prizes and Fellowships
BARD
Title:Resilient sweet-potato yield and quality in face of climate change - root architectural traits for consistent storage root formation under drought
Team:
Shimon Rachmilevitch PI
Villordon, Arthur, Baisakh, Niranjan, LaBonte, Don - LSU, Ag Center
Ilani, Talli - Southern R&D
Abstract:
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) is a versatile high value and yielding drought tolerant crop, with adaptability to various climates and is the fifth most important crop in the world; It is a major source for carbohydrates, fibers, potassium, iron, calcium, beta-carotene (vitamin A precursor), anthocyanin with no gluten and fats. Albeit its major importance for food security the production of storage roots is not consistent in size and uniformity and is not well understood. The overall goals of the study are to understand: 1.) the role of root system architecture in determining resource allocation towards storage tubers; 2) the possible signalling role of sucrose as a trigger in storage root formation; 3) demonstrate of the feasibility of incorporating root traits in breeding in general and specifically for drought tolerance.
Budget: 310,000$ for three years
Title:Remote sensing of wine-grapevine transpiration for improving vine water status
Team:
Joe Alfieri - PI, Bill Kustas, Andrew McElrone - USDA, ARS
Alfonso Torres - U. Utah St.
Nurit Agam - Co-PI, Arnon Karnieli
Abstract:
High-value wine-grape production is managed to enhance fruit quality via deficit irrigation, even at the expense of reduced yield. These management strategies are strongly dependent on accurate estimates of the amount and timing of water delivery to the vines to achieve appropriate stress levels at the desired time. Since the vine transpiration (T) reflects the water status of the vines, irrigation management would benefit from an accurate determination of the unique contribution of T to the total vineyard water use. The goal of our proposed research is to reliably map T from wine-grape vineyards by adapting remote sensing-based tools and models. We hypothesize that better estimation of leaf area index and biomass distribution of the vine canopy, will enhance the internal separation of plant and soil water fluxes and will enhance the utility of the modified wind and radiation extinction algorithms developed for vineyards, ultimately resulting in more accurate T estimates. Vineyards in both the USA and Israel will be instrumented, from a milder and cooler site in California’s Sonoma Valley to an arid site in the Negev Highlands. With the procedures and algorithms that will result from this research, we anticipate a rather immediate improvement in the remote sensing-based T mapping, which will be integrated into winery irrigation management decision tools.
Budget: 310,000$ for three years
The Daniel E. Koshland Fund to Support Interdisciplinary Research at the BIDR
Title:Effects of microplastics contamination on soil microbiome and ecosystem primary productivity
Principal Investigators:Max Kolton and Shai Arnon (ZIWR)
Abstract:
The proposed research aims to improve the current understanding of the ecological consequences of soil plastic-film mulching fragments accumulation in the arid agriculture ecosystem. Moreover, the proposed multidisciplinary research project provides a unique training opportunity for the M.Sc. candidate Wout Yi Moe Oo in soil environmental microbiology. Furthermore, this research proposal aims to establish a new collaboration between Dr. Max Kolton, a new FAAB faculty member, and Prof. Shai Arnon from ZIWR. Finally, the project aims to deliver solid preliminary data suitable for submitting proposals to the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), the Binational Science Foundation (BSF), and/or the Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) by the end of 2022.
Title:Can antioxidants curb propagation of antibiotic resistance in wastewater bacteria?
Principal Investigators: Nina Kamennaya and Zeen Ronen (ZIWR)
Abstract:
In wastewater systems concentrations of most antibiotic substances are below the minimum inhibitory threshold. Yet, they can impose oxidative stress on the wastewater microbiome members. In turn, the oxidative stress could stimulate antibiotic resistance acquisition via different mechanisms. We propose that microalgal antioxidant-mediated relieve from oxidative stress could reduce the development of antibiotic microbial resistance in wastewater treatment plants.
Multidisciplinary research between the Faculty of Engineering Sciences and BIDR
Title:Developing a deep learning approach for automated monitoring of tiny crop-damaging pests
Team:
Vered Tzin and Guy Shani
Abstract:
Crop plants are continually exposed to herbivore infestation. Insect herbivory is a crucial factor in yield loss and quality degradation in agricultural crop production. Average losses can reach 20-30% of yield, and in some cases, they can cause total yield loss. One of the most economically significant herbivores is found in the aphid family, tiny piercing-sucking pests, which cause damage. Thus, to prevent aphid damage, it is critical to monitortheir presence as early as they reach the target plants and take follow-up actions. Currently, this process is mostly done by human pest inspectors. This is limited by several factors: i) expertise and knowledge of the inspector, ii) sampling time, iii) spatial location of the pests, iv) salary expenses. The main goal of our joint project is to develop a machine learning approach that will automatically monitor and identify pests on plant tissues. This one-year project will be divided into three objectives: 1) Collecting data. 2) Developing a deep learning approach. 3) Testing the output of the machine learning approach in the field. In this new collabortion, we suggest to acquire RGB images, either by hand, by fixed cameras, or by an automated moving cart. Then, we will use deep learning object identification in images to process the images and produce measurements, such as the amount of pests of different types on the plant. Identifying tiny pests will require the development of an approach that can focus the attention on certain parts of the images.
Minister of Regional Cooperation of Israel
Title:Developing tools and germplasm for improved production and sustainability of table and wine-grapevine crop in the Middle East
Team:
Aaron Fait - PI
Co-PI: Moshe Herzberg and Amer Sweity
Abstract:
Grapevine productivity and fruit quality are strongly reliant on agro-climatic factors, particularly water availability and soil microbiome. Taken together, enhanced grapevine tolerance to abiotic stressors should be matched by ad hoc management practices such as customized irrigation. Similarly, because of its impact on water relations, leaf gas exchange, mineral absorption, plant growth, flowering, and fruit set timing, selecting an optimum graft combination is critical to grapevine productivity and quality. Furthermore, developing and selecting appropriate varieties that can tolerate water deficiency and salt stress through proper breeding processes or grafting with tolerant rootstocks is critical for adapting viticulture to atypical soil and irrigation systems. Aside from producing superior varieties, viticulturists can benefit by establishing and adopting ad hoc growth procedures centered on the GxExM system (integrating genetics, environment, and management methods). The project aims to increase the sustainability of grape cultivation in the semi-arid Middle East region by utilizing the diversification of scion and rootstocks available in Israel and Jordan, particularly salinity-tolerant rootstocks. This project will increase the sustainability of viticulture in Jordan and Israel, as well as inverting the region's steady decline of yield and quality of grape-derived products.
Duration: 2 years
Dean Excellence Award:
M.Sc. Student Julius Bamah, supervised by Prof. Arnon Karnieli.
AKIS Excellence Scholarship:
M.Sc. Student Asaf Yupiter Vanunu, supervised by Prof. Arnon Karnieli.
Albert Katz Foundation for Excellence Award:
M.Sc. StudentAye Nyein Ko,supervised by Prof. Shimon Rachmilevitch.
Former M.Sc. Student Sharon Chemweno,supervised by Prof. Shimon Rachmilevitch.
Rector's Excellence List:
M.Sc. Student Asaf Yupiter Vanunu, supervised by Prof. Arnon Karnieli.
High-Tech, Bio-Tech, and Chemo-Tech scholarship for Ph.D. studies:
Ph.D. student Natalie Toren, supervised bu Dr. Max Kolton.
Inspiration and dedication: Meet the BGU Honorary Doctorate Recipients - Cohort 2022
Eight outstanding individuals received honorary doctorates from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev on the evening of Tuesday May 17, 2022, during the 52nd Board of Governors Meeting.
In this special episode of BGU Radio, Prof. Simon Barak and the BGU Radio Director, Dr. Buzi Raviv went to meet some of the BGU honorary doctorate recipients:
Prof. Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor, University of Oxford, UK and expert in terrorist movements and counter-terrorism policy.
Rabbi Denise Eger, the first member of the LGBTQ+ community to serve as President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.
David Grossman, world-famous Israeli author.
We asked them questions about their lives, feelings, careers, thoughts for the future and more!
All had important messages for the BGU Community, that you don’t want to miss!
So click this link, sit back, relax, and be inspired.
Water where there is no water – well, there is, in the Namib Sand Sea too
In March of this year, after long and extensive planning (and postponing, and postponing again), we finally headed out to the Namib Sand Sea to explore the phenomenon of atmospheric water capture by the soil (sand, in this case). This is the first of
several excursions, as part of an ISF project, in which we propose, for the first time, to make a global assessment of water vapor adsorption by the world’s desert soils, and its potential implications for soil-atmosphere CO2 exchange.
Almost everything that could go wrong went wrong. The research permit took ages to arrive, the visa was issued with wrong dates, the river (the almighty Kuiseb, an ephemeral river) was flooded in the middle of our measurements, preventing us from
getting to the measurement site (and to our instruments that were left on the other side), a big sandstorm blew through, tires went flat, well, this is just to name a few obstacles. But, stubborn as we are, we managed to overcome it all (!),
and came back with a unique and important dataset, and with great memories from an amazing place with amazing people.
Next destination: the Moroccan Sahara. Stay tuned.
1st FAAB Fest
The successful event took place on May 10th and included fantastic food, fun games, and short lab presentations. Over 70 members of the extended FAAB family together laid a foundation for a new annual tradition. We were especially pleased to see the participation of all FAAB populations, including students, postdocs, administrative staff, and PIs. Moreover, all the participants very much enjoyed the event and expressed an eagerness to attend FAAB events in the future.
INTERNATIONAL AI ARCHAEOLOGY CHALLENGE - APRIL 26-27
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, in cooperation with the Israel Data Science Initiative (IDSI) and Helmholtz Information and Data Science Academy (HIDA), organized a two-day international hackathon. The goal was to identify and map ancient water harvesting terraces in the vicinity of Evenari Avdat Farm, the Negev desert. Groups of students from Germany, India, and Israel working in machine learning were supplied with large sets of aerial photos and terrain data, as well as computational resources. The groups competed in designing deep learning models to predict the terrace locations based on “ground truth” data for training their models.
“It was satisfying and rewarding to help teams of computer vision experts solve a semantic segmentation task and overcome barriers in utilizing deep learning for a real-life application. …. The wide variety of approaches, tools, and models was fascinating!…”
Initiation and preparation of the hackathon was a joint effort of Prof. Arnon Karnieli and his team (Micha Silver, Arti Tiwari, and Aviv Cohen-Zada) of the Remote Sensing Lab, Sede Boker Campus, BGU, and Prof. Mark Last and Rachel Raisa Eldin of the
Data Science Research Center, BGU. Academic, technical, and administrative support was provided by Prof. (emeritus) Paul Feigin and Efrat Maimon of the IDSI, Technion, as well as colleagues from HIDA.
A new study points to possible help for restoring marine ecosystems — and provides more data on the role microbes play in marsh plant health and productivity.
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