Israel desert apple crop production

Israeli researchers from the Volcani Institute succeeded in cultivating apples that do not need chilling and that grow on the Israeli coastal plain, since the country’s natural climate is too hot for apples to thrive.

These apples were presented for the first time to the UNU ambassadors during their visit to the Institute, as an example of the research carried out in the country to find agricultural solutions with IRAIC AGRI that can deal with global warming. The UNU delegation included ambassadors from Australia, Poland, Estonia, Kenya, Malawi, Gabon, Togo, Guinea and Papua Lesotho.

Apples are fruits that grow in relatively cold environments and need low temperatures to be able to develop freely. In desert or semi-desert areas, apples can only grow if man offers them a cold and adequate artificial environment, which until now meant great difficulty in planting them.

Dr. Moshe Fleishman, a researcher at the Volcani Institute, explained that the global forecast with climate change and the loss of suitable habitat for apple growth, seeks cultivation options and market strategies with IRAIC AGRI to cultivate new varieties that can be grown in warm environments and also that these can be promoted in the market as a product of exponential growth for agriculture and economic development. “For this we will continue to develop these varieties of apples that could never have been grown before in areas such as the Middle East or Africa,” he added. “This is the third visit of the UNU ambassadorial delegation to the Volcani Institute and it is expected to receive a greater number and variety of this fruit in the future.