Lab Website
Dr. Ofir Degani’s Research Group
Dr. Ofir Degani completed his Ph.D. at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (Haifa, Israel), specializing in genetic engineering approaches in phytopathology. He carried out his post-doctoral studies at the Migal-Galilee Research Institute (Israel). Currently, Dr. Degani serves as the research group director of this institute’s Phytopathology and Crop Protection Laboratory and a senior staff member at Tel-Hai College (Israel). His research is based on molecular, biochemical, and microbial approaches for understanding and preventing plant fungal diseases. Specifically, his research group is working on (1) developing biological, chemical, and agrotechnical controls for plant diseases, including Maize late wilt and stalk rot, Cotton charcoal rot, and Onion basal rot. (2) Study and manipulate the plant microbiome to provide an eco-friendly toolkit to protect plants. (3) Investigating the interactions between pathogens and their role in plant pathology to improve crop protection.
Current ongoing research topics:
- Study the “plant disease triangle” - the combined influence of the host plant, the fungal pathogen, and the environment on plant diseases and crop protection.
- Chemical protection (using seed treatments, spraying, and dripline irrigation) of maize, cotton, onion, and other crops against fungal pathogens.
- Develop biological approaches to protect crops from soil diseases. This includes the use of biocontrol agents (fungi and bacteria), strengthening soil mycorrhizal networks (the soil microbiome), manipulating the plants’ natural endophytes (the plant microbiome), and enhancing the plants’ natural defense system.
- Investigate the interactions between phytopathogenic fungi and their combined influence on crops' disease burst and severity.
Research plan and challenges
The growing trend of reducing pesticides’ use raises the need for alternative ways of coping with severe fungal diseases such as the late wilt of maize. Hence, we propose developing two environmentally friendly strategies to control maize late wilt disease, for which we have gained positive preliminary results. First, maintaining the continuity of soil mycorrhizal fungi between seasons has proven to be an essential factor in various field crops. Still, it has not yet been tested against the late wilt pathogen in Israel. The potential of strengthening soil mycorrhizal networks against the soil fungal pathogen has only now started to be revealed. The unique case of late wilt disease and the encouraging preliminary results provide an excellent opening stage and opportunity to investigate this control method. In order to do this, we will be required to:
- Repeat and establish the results using a greenhouse pot experiment over a full growth period
- Identify the mycorrhizal fungi involved
- Examine ways of strengthening the desired soil mycorrhizal networks
- Extend the research to field experiments
Similarly, in recent years we have conducted research with a new Trichoderma spp. isolates and achieved promising results. Consequently, we propose using the effective Trichoderma spp. or their extract in order to prevent the penetration and establishment of the M. maydis pathogen at the early growth period of maize. Thus we suggest using the late wilt controlling agents – Trichoderma isolates – and developing application methods to implement them. This goal will require several steps:
- Identifying the active compound/s in the Trichoderma spp. extract
- Examining ways of enhancing the secretion of these ingredients
- Applying the Trichoderma spp. hyphae or the extract and examining it in sprouts (up to the age of 40 days) under controlled conditions in a growth chamber
- Examining the Trichoderma spp. (extract and hyphae) seed coating against direct application of the fungi or their section to the soil under field conditions over a full growth period
We are now specializing in two important and severe corp diseases: cotton charcoal rot, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, and onion (Allium cepa) basal rot caused by Fusarium sp. The challenges of developing efficient and cost-effective strategies to reduce the diseases’ damages include:
- Study these pathogens and their interactions with the host, under different environmental conditions.
- Undersending the involvement of other fungal phytopathogens in the diseases’ outburst and damages.
- Develop a new research tool-kit to study those diseases.
- Search for new ways (chemical, biological, and agro-mechanical) to restrict those diseases’ harmful effects and prevent their spreading.
Education
Ph.D. 2005, Biology, Technion Institute of Technology, Israel
M.Sc. 2001, Biology, Technion Institute of Technology, Israel
Academic and research experience
- 2007 – Present – Principal Investigator and Research group leader, Plant Sciences, Molecular Phytopathology lab, MIGAL - Galilee Research Institute, Israel
- 2005 – 2007 – Postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Doron Goldberg, MIGAL - Galilee Research Institute, Israel
- 2006 – Senior lecturer and staff member, Tel-Hai Academic College, Israel
- 2001 – Senior lecturer and staff member, Ohalo academic College, Israel
Other activity and service
- 2008 – 2021– Headmaster of the Tel-Hai Science and Knowledge Center for the Gifted and Talented Pupils, the Israel Ministry of Education, the Pedagogical Administration, the Division for the Gifted and Talented Pupils, Israel
- 2014 – 2017 – Head of the North Israel Group of Centers for Gifted and Talented Children, the Israel Ministry of Education, the Pedagogical Administration, the Division for the Gifted and Talented Pupils, Israel
2006 - 2012 – (1) Understanding fungicide activity and resistance regulation through fungal signaling pathways. (2) Involvement of Harpophora maydis in causing late wilt disease in corn – diagnosis and control – Ohalo academic college – 27,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2007 – Diagnosis and control of maize late wilt disease – Israel Northern R&D - 25,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2008 – Involvement of the fungus Harpophora maydis in causing late wilt disease in sweet corn: characterizing the course of the disease and finding ways to control it – The Jewish National Fund, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael – 50,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Benjamin A Horwitz, Dr. Doron Goldberg, and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2009 – Harpophora maydis wilt of corn: Characterization of the disease cycle and development of protection and control – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 35,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Benjamin A Horwitz, Dr. Doron Goldberg, Dr. Efraim Zuckerman, and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2010 – Harpophora maydis wilt of corn: Characterization of the disease cycle and development of protection and control – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 35,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Efraim Zuckerman and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2011 – Harpophora maydis wilt of corn: Characterization of the disease cycle and development of protection and control – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 15,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph.
2011 – Experiments in eradicating the late dehydration disease in corn – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 25,000 NIS – collaborators: Dr. Tsafrir Weinberg, Mr. Shaul Graph, and Dr. Onn Rabinovitz.
2012 – Harpophora maydis wilt of corn: Characterization of the disease cycle and development of protection and control – The Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael) – 25,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph.
2013 – Involvement of Harpophora maydis in sweet corn wilt disease: characterizing the disease course and developing ways to eradicate it – Israel Northern R&D – 40,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph.
2014 – Ambient Stresses influence on the development of the maize late wilt Causing agent, Harpophora maydis – Israel Northern R&D – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2015 - 2017 – Protection and control against Harpophora maydis, the causing agent of maize late wilt – Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Scientist – 420,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Mery Dafny Yelin and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2017 – Biological control against Harpophora maydis, the maize Late-wilt disease causal agent – Migal – Galilee Research Institute.
2017 – Improved chemical control against the cause of late wilt in corn– Netafim Ltd. Israel – 8,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2018 – Thermal detection and chemical control of the maize late wilt causing agent, Harpophora maydis – Israel Organization of extensive cultivation – 25,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Moshe Meron, Dr. Assaf Chen and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2018 – Interactions between Magnaporthiopsis maydis and Macrophomina phaseolina, the Causes of Wilt Diseases in Maize and Cotton – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 17,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Roni Cohen and Mr. Shaul Graph.
2018 – Biological control against Harpophora maydis, the maize Late-wilt disease causal agent – Migal – Galilee Research Institute – 140,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2018 – Biological control of pests and diseases in cannabis – Migal – Galilee Research Institute – 90,000 NIS – collaborators: Dr. Haim Reuveni and Dr. Chen Katz.
2018 – Characterization of the profile of volatiles from the leaves and flowers of the cannabis plant in response to environmental stress – Migal – Galilee Research Institute – 90,000 NIS – collaborators: Dr. Haim Reuveni, Dr. Soliman Khatib, and Prof. Jacob Vaya.
2018 – Isolation and Identification of Fusarium spp., the Causal Agents of Onion (Allium cepa) Basal Rot in Northeastern Israel – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 41,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph.
2019 – Interactions between Magnaporthiopsis maydis and Macrophomina phaseolina, the Causes of Wilt Diseases in Maize and Cotton – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 15,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Roni Cohen.
2019 – The presence of Harpophora maydis in fodder maize, its interaction with other endophytes in the plant, and its effect on the nutritional value of the corn silage – Israel Organization of extensive cultivation – 25,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Assaf Chen and Dr. Onn Rabinovitz.
2019 – Isolation, characterization, and control of Fusarium spp. f. sp. cepae, the cause of the onion basal plate rot, in northern Israel – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 8,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph.
2019 – 2021 – Using remote sensing tools for the early detection and prevention of soil-borne diseases in field crops while reducing amounts of pesticides and increasing yield – Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Scientist – 450,000 NIS (partial share 82,000 NIS ) – collaborators: Dr. Assaf Chen and Dr. Mery Dafny Yelin.
2020 – Isolation and identification of active ingredient against Magnaporthiopsis maydis, the maize Late-wilt disease causal agent – ICA – Migal accelerator, Israel – 100,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Soliman Khatib.
2020 – Biological control of Macrophomina phaseolina, the cotton charcoal rot disease causal agent – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2020 – Eco-friendly control against corn late wilt by strengthening the soil mycorrhizal networks – Tel-Hai College, Israel, Science Relations Foundation – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Hagai Shemesh and Dr. Onn Rabinovitz.
2020 – Chemical control of Fusarium spp., the Causal Agents of Onion (Allium cepa) Basal Rot – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 10,500 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph and Mr, Elyahu Margalit.
2021 – Purification and identification of Trichoderma asperellum secreted ingredients with antifungal activity against Magnaporthiopsis maydis, the maize late-wilt disease causal agent – Migal – Galilee Research Institute – 40,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Soliman Khatib.
2021 – Cultivars' resistance assay for maize late wilt disease – CTS Group – 14,000 INS (leading scientist).
2021 – Chemical control of Fusarium spp., the Causal Agents of Onion (Allium cepa) Basal Rot – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 18,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph and Mr, Elyahu Margalit.
2022 – Combined biological-chemical pesticide to prevent late wilt in corn – Israel Organization of extensive cultivation – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist) –collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz.
2022 – Isolation and Identification of Fusarium spp., the Causal Agents of Onion (Allium cepa) Basal Rot in Northeastern Israel – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 17,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Shaul Graph and Mr. Elyahu Margalit.
2022 – Isolation and Identification of apple fruits fungal pathogens – Israel Plant Council, Fruit Branch, Ministry of Agriculture – 7,000 NIS –collaborators: Dr. Shaul Naschitz.
2022 – Development of an eco-friendly pesticide interface, based on Trichoderma fungi, against the cause of cotton charcoal rot – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 55,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz and Dr. Assaf Chen.
2022 – Developing an Azoxystrobin slow-release clay carrier for eco-friendly control of corn late wilt disease – Tel-Hai College, Israel, Science Relations Foundation – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Giora Rytwo.
2023 – The formation process of Alternaria black spot disease in stored persimmons and its prevention through treatments with antioxidants – Tel-Hai College, Israel, Science Relations Foundation – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Shaul Naschitz, Prof. Soliman Khatib, Prof. Dov Prusky.
2023 – Developing an Azoxystrobin slow-release clay carrier for eco-friendly control of corn late wilt disease – ICA Israel (Jewish Colonization Association) – 25,000 $ (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Giora Rytwo.
2023 – Developing an Azoxystrobin slow-release clay carrier for eco-friendly control of corn late wilt disease – Migal – Galilee Research Institute – 100,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Giora Rytwo.
2023 – Biological enrichment of fodder corn seeds against the late wilt disease – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 20,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz and Mr. Yoav Golan.
2023 – Support in funding equipment for research purposes – Tel-Hai College, Israel, Science Relations Foundation – 8,000 NIS (leading scientist).
2023 – Development of an eco-friendly pesticide interface, based on Trichoderma fungi, against the cause of cotton charcoal rot – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 50,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz and Dr. Assaf Chen.
2023-24 – Chemical control of Fusarium spp., the causal agents of onion (Allium cepa) basal rot – Israel Plant Council, Ministry of Agriculture – 28,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Mr. Elyahu Margalit.
2024 – Developing an Azoxystrobin slow-release clay carrier for eco-friendly control of corn late wilt disease – ICA Israel (Jewish Colonization Association) – 20,000 $ (leading scientist) – collaborators: Prof. Giora Rytwo.
2024 – Development of an eco-friendly pesticide interface, based on Trichoderma fungi, against the cause of cotton charcoal rot – Israel Council for Cotton Production and Marketing Ltd. – 70,000 NIS (leading scientist) – collaborators: Dr. Onn Rabinovitz and Dr. Assaf Chen.