_משרד_המדע_

RHOPALAEA
IDONETA - A NEW
ASCIDIAN SPECIES
FROM THE GULF OF
EILAT
AGRICULTURE / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Dr. Noa Shenkar
Tel Aviv University and the Steinhardt
Museum of
Natural History
ADAPTING CITRUS
CULTIVATION
TO DESERT
CONDITIONS
Ascidians are invertebrate marine organisms which compete
with corals and other species over free substrate and can
cause damage to artificial structures, but are also a source
for new drugs. This study described a new species that
demonstrated the ability to transition from a solitary lifestyle
to a colonial lifestyle and back, promoting our understanding
of development and speciation in marine environments.
Photo: Dr. Gil Koplovitz
AGRICULTURE / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
Dr. Eran Raveh
Gilat Research Center, Agricultural
Research Organization –
Volcani Center
In commercial citrus orchards, trees are grafted together,
joining two varieties. The lower part of the tree, the
rootstock, provides the system of roots, while the upper
part, the scion, produces the fruit. When the agriculture
moved into the desert, new rootstocks had to be found
for such an area.
Photo: Roei Greenberg
38 3