Agriculture
Hebrew University, Clemson University and Sapir College Forge Important Agricultural Partnership
17 March, 2025
In a significant initiative to tackle pressing agricultural, nutritional, and environmental challenges, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has partnered with Clemson University in South Carolina, USA, and Sapir College. This collaboration aims to harness the unique strengths of each institution to drive innovation and sustainability in agriculture.
Cultured Meat’s New Secret Ingredient: Aloe Vera
12 March, 2025
New study introduces Aloe vera as a natural, sustainable scaffold for cultured meat production. By repurposing Aloe vera, researchers cultivated fat-like lipid chunks that could enhance the taste and texture of alternative proteins. Combined with a single-use bioreactor, this approach offers a scalable, cost-effective solution for cultured meat production using a sustainable agricultural byproduct.
Gene-Edited Lettuce: A New Approach to Fighting Micronutrient Deficiencies
5 March, 2025
Researchers have successfully used gene-editing technology to enhance the nutritional value of lettuce. The study demonstrates a significant increase in β-carotene (provitamin A), zeaxanthin, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) without compromising plant growth or yield. This breakthrough highlights the potential of gene editing to combat micronutrient deficiencies and improve the dietary quality of widely consumed crops.
Petunia’s Secret: Cracking Nature’s Perfume with Key Floral Scent Gene
27 February, 2025
Scientists at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem have unlocked the secret behind petunia’s captivating scent—tracing it back to a single gene, PhDEF. This gene not only shapes the flower’s petals but also triggers the production of alluring fragrances that attract pollinators. The discovery could revolutionize the fragrance industry and horticulture, offering new ways to enhance floral scents without altering a flower’s natural beauty.
Harvest Smarter, Not Harder: Machine Learning Meets Tomato Farming
23 January, 2025
Researchers have developed a machine learning model using hyperspectral imaging to assess pre-harvest tomato quality. The study introduces a cost-effective, non-destructive method to predict key quality parameters, including weight, firmness, and lycopene (a natural antioxidant) content. This innovative approach enables farmers to monitor fruit development in real-time, optimizing harvest timing and improving crop quality. The research demonstrates a significant leap forward in precision agriculture and sustainable food production.
Researchers Crack the Code of How Fish Pick Their Own Birthday
5 December, 2024
New research has revealed that fish embryos actively control their hatching timing through a neurohormone, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH), which triggers the release of enzymes that dissolve the egg wall. This groundbreaking discovery uncovers a previously unknown neural mechanism that governs a critical life-stage transition, showing that embryos are not passive but instead actively make life-or-death decisions. The finding has significant evolutionary implications, offering new insights into neurobiology, survival strategies, and environmental adaptation in vertebrates.
Shaping Dairy Farm Vaccination Decisions: Social Pressure and Vet Influence
6 August, 2024
A new study has identified key factors influencing vaccination intentions among Israeli dairy farmers. By comparing five diseases affecting dairy cattle, the research highlights the significant impact of social pressure and underscores the need for improved communication between veterinarians and farmers to optimize voluntary vaccination programs. These findings are crucial for enhancing epidemic control and ensuring the health and productivity of dairy farms.
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A new study by Prof. Eyal Klement and PhD Student Michal Morgenstern from the Koret School of Veterinary Medicine at the Hebrew University, in collaboration with Dr. Jaap Sok from the Business Economics Department at Wageningen University and Research, has unveiled key factors influencing vaccination intentions among Israeli dairy farmers. The research, crucial for optimizing voluntary vaccination programs, compared five diseases affecting dairy cattle: Botulism, Bovine Ephemeral Fever, Brucellosis, Lumpy Skin Disease, and Rabies.
Effective vaccination is vital for epidemic control, especially in voluntary vaccination contexts. Despite its importance, there is limited understanding of how veterinarian communication and disease-specific traits impact farmer vaccination intentions. This study fills that gap by analyzing responses from 340 Israeli dairy farmers through questionnaires grounded in the theory of planned behavior. Veterinarians overseeing these farms also provided insights into their opinions and perceived influence on vaccination decisions.
The findings revealed varying levels of farmer vaccination intention, with Botulism (a deadly bacterial induced intoxication) showing the highest and Bovine Ephemeral Fever (an arthropod-borne viral disease) the lowest. Social pressure significantly influenced farmers' vaccination decisions, with distinct patterns emerging across different diseases. Notably, veterinarian opinions had the highest influence only for Lumpy Skin Disease (an arthropod-borne viral pandemic), while other factors played critical roles for other diseases. Interestingly, there was no correlation between veterinarians' recommendations and farmers' perceptions of these recommendations.
Prof. Klement emphasized the need for tailored interventions to optimize voluntary vaccination programs. "The study highlights the multifaceted influences on farmers' vaccination intentions, particularly the prevailing impact of perceived social pressure," he said. "However, variations exist across diseases, and there is a notable disconnection between veterinarians' opinions and how they're perceived by farmers. This discrepancy suggests potential communication breakdowns."
Regulations, laws, and guidelines regarding livestock vaccinations vary by country and region, often combining mandatory and voluntary programs to safeguard animal health and food safety. For instance, the European Union and Israel have specific vaccination protocols, while organizations like RUMA in the UK provide non-binding guidelines. However, understanding the influences on farmers' decision-making processes beyond these rules—such as social pressures and veterinarian recommendations—is crucial. These factors significantly impact the effectiveness of voluntary vaccination programs, as farmers' choices are shaped by a complex interplay of social norms, trust in veterinarians, and perceived cost-benefit analyses. Recognizing these influences can lead to more tailored and effective vaccination strategies, enhancing overall livestock health and productivity. The study advocates for the pivotal role of veterinarians in guiding vaccination choices due to their medical expertise. It underscores the necessity of improving communication between veterinarians and farmers, with an emphasis on effective risk communication training.
The research paper titled “Would you bet on the vet? Influences on dairy farmers' vaccination choices, with a spotlight on the Veterinarian impact” is now available in Preventive Veterinary Medicine and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106262.
Researchers:
Michal Morgenstern1, Jaap Sok2, Eyal Klement1
Institutions:
- Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Business Economics, Wageningen University and Research (WUR)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. With over 23,000 students from 90 countries, it is a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and holds a significant role in Israel’s civilian scientific research output, accounting for nearly 40% of it and has registered over 11,000 patents. The university’s faculty and alumni have earned eight Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards a Fields Medal, underscoring their contributions to ground-breaking discoveries. In the global arena, the Hebrew University ranks 86th according to the Shanghai Ranking. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research initiatives, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en
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Plant and bacteria have extensively exchanged genes during their evolution
22 July, 2024
A new study has unveiled how plants and bacteria exchange genes to boost plant health and development. The team discovered 75 genes that were transferred between small, fast-growing plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) and its bacterial companions, influencing key processes like carbohydrate metabolism and hormone synthesis. This finding not only deepens our understanding of plant biology but also opens up exciting possibilities for enhancing crop resilience and productivity through advanced biotechnologies.
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A new study has unveiled findings regarding genetic interactions between plants and their associated bacteria. The study, led by Dr. Asaf Levy from the Institute of Environmental Science at Hebrew University, in partnership with Dr. Yulia Fridman , Dr. Hitaishi Khandal , Prof. Sigal Savaldi-Goldstein from Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, reveals a dynamic cross-kingdom horizontal gene transfer (HGT) that could revolutionize our understanding of plant and bacterial biology and agricultural practices.
Plants rely on a complex community of bacteria which are crucial for their health and development. The research team hypothesized and confirmed that the close and long-standing relationship between plants and their microbiota facilitates the rare phenomenon of horizontal gene transfer, where genes are transferred directly between different species.
In a new discovery, Dr. Levy and his team identified 75 unique genes that were transferred horizontally between Arabidopsis thaliana, a commonly studied model plant, and bacteria. Plants acquired 59 genes from bacteria and bacteria acquired at least 16 genes from plants during evolution. These genes primarily enhance carbohydrate metabolism and auxin biosynthesis, pivotal for plant growth regulation and immune responses. For example a certain group of bacteria, Streptomyces, acquired from plants a gene that allow them to break down chitin, a compound which is prevalent in insects and fungi. In addition, the study identified 111 genes that were transferred between bacteria and eukaryotes in general (not necessarily plants).
Moreover, the study validated these findings by demonstration that a bacterial gene from the Actinobacteria phylum, when expressed in Arabidopsis, corrected growth defects associated with the plant’s DET2 gene mutation. DET2 is essential for the synthesis of a type of plant hormone called Brassinosteroid. These are crucial for plant growth and development. A plant that lacks DET2 gene is a dwarf plant. However, by expressing the bacterial homologous DET2 gene inside plants, the researchers were able to get a plant in a normal size, demonstrating that the two genes have the same function.
"This study highlights the intricacies of plant-microbe interactions and we were surprised that genes were acquired by organisms that are located so remotely on the tree of life, such as bacteria and plants. A bacterial gene acquired by plant has to undergo some changes to be active inside plant cells. It will be interesting to study the mechanisms by which the genes are acquired and evolved. The study opens new avenues for biotechnological applications in agriculture," said Dr. Levy. "Understanding and harnessing these gene transfers could lead to innovative strategies to enhance crop resilience and productivity if we understand why and also how certain genes were transferred. It is also intriguing if bacteria exchange genes with other organisms such as animals, including humans".
With global agriculture facing increasing challenges from climate change and population growth, innovations that enhance crop resilience and productivity are urgently needed. According to projections, advancements in plant-microbe interactions could potentially increase global food production by significant margins, addressing the growing demand for food security. Currently, the agricultural sector spends billions annually combating plant diseases and environmental stresses.
The research paper titled “Widespread horizontal gene transfer between plants and bacteria” is now available in ISME Communications and can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1093/ismeco/ycae073.
Researchers:
Shelly Haimlich1, Yulia Fridman2, Hitaishi Khandal2, Sigal Savaldi-Goldstein2, Asaf Levy1
Institutions:
1) The Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Institute of Environmental Science, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
2) Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel’s premier academic and research institution. With over 23,000 students from 90 countries, it is a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and holds a significant role in Israel’s civilian scientific research output, accounting for nearly 40% of it and has registered over 11,000 patents. The university’s faculty and alumni have earned eight Nobel Prizes, two Turing Awards a Fields Medal, underscoring their contributions to ground-breaking discoveries. In the global arena, the Hebrew University ranks 86th according to the Shanghai Ranking. To learn more about the university’s academic programs, research initiatives, and achievements, visit the official website at http://new.huji.ac.il/en
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