Plant Sciences and Entomology

Plant diseases

• Development of effective disease management in deciduous trees in Israel, like: apples, peach and nectarine, grapevines
• Epidemiology and development of disease managements for foliar diseases of apple such as: apple scab, powdery mildew, Alternaria fruit rot and moldy core
• The use of disease support systems in disease management of apple scab and grape downy mildew in Israel
• Population genetics of necator (causing grape powdery mildew) in Israel
• Resistance of fungi to fungicides, and integration of bio-fungicides and macro/micronutrients in disease management in order to reduce fungicide usage and resistance risk
• Integration of new technologies to control foliar diseases
• Elicitors of induced-resistance against fungal plant pathogens

Entomology

• Decipher the communication between the brood (the pupae and the larvae) and its tending workers in social bee colonies
• Study the social influences on the sleep of brood tending bees
• Develop new methods to increase bee pollination efficiency
• Utilize chronobiological research to improve pest control and to reduce environmental damage, specifically to insect pollinators