Migal - Galilee Technology Center, P.O.Box 831, Kiryat Shmona 11016, Israel

Tel.: 04-6953511; Fax: 04-6944980. E-mail: raffi@migal.org.il

Northern R&D

The Northern Research and Development unit is the research arm of the Israel Ministry of Agriculture in the Northern part of Israel. Northern R&D, which is located at Migal, is responsible for planning, organizing and implementing the agricultural research effort in the Galilee. It is concerned with solving current problems in agricultural production, with the introduction of new products, and with research investigations on which Galilee’s future agricultural effort will be based. Northern R&D’s main goal is to direct the agricultural branches in the region into profitable channels.

Northern R&D

Objectives

1. Increasing profitability and stability of agriculture in the Galilee region by improving existing crops and developing new technologies and crops.

2. Applying and transferring techniques developed by Northern R & D and other research institutes by means of model farms and active extension service.

3. Increasing efficiency in use of fresh and treated water.

4. Reinforcing the links between the local and international markets.

5. Improving the general professional level of local farmers.

6. Maintaining environmental quality.

Northern R&D

Areas of activity of Northern R&D

The areas of activity of Northern R & D are characterized by extreme differences of topography and climate, and contain a wide variety of different forms of settlement.

The area includes:

9 Local and District Councils

129 agricultural villages

45,000 inhabitants

10,000 families

Northern R&D

Areas of activity of Northern R&D

Sub-regions and Activities

A. Golan Heights

This sub-area can be divided into three:

1. Southern Golan - Field crops, subtropical fruit & citrus orchards

2. Central Golan - Variety of orchards, open-field flowers

3. Northern Golan - Like Highland area (see below)

All agriculture on the Golan is advanced and conducted at a high professional level.

Northern R&D

Areas of activity of Northern R&D

B. Hula Valley

Generally advanced agriculture, combining deciduous, subtropical and citrus orchards with field crops.

C. Highlands (Merom Galil and Northern Golan)

High-tech deciduous orchards and vineyards, combined with tourism

D. Western Galilee

High-tech deciduous orchards, mushrooms, village tourism

Increasing fruit production of deciduous trees (apple, pear, cherry, plum, apricot, etc.)

1. Improving pollination activity (manipulation of bee hives).

2. Searching the best pollenizer for each cultivar in each species (determine the S-allele of the self-incompatible gene of each cultivar in order to make a table of genetic fit between cultivars.

Full compatibility

Semi compatibility

Incompatibility

Direct methods:

Study the fruit growth pattern of pome-fruit and stone-fruit, and find a way to improve their size.

Direct methods:

Pome-fruit (apple and pear) – using CK

Stone-fruit (apricot, cherry, plum and lychee) – using Auxins

Indirect methods:

Thinning = reduce the crop load to receive less fruit but with larger size.

Indirect methods:

Pome-fruit – Thinning flowers and fruitlet by Auxins.

Stone-fruit – Inhibiting differentiation to flowers, about 9 month before flowering-season, using Gibberellins.

Inhibiting preharvest fruit drop of apple and lychee, using Auxins.