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Technical Summary
What the project is about

Relevance
Ecological Agriculture in the Middle East

Cooperation
Working together in a troubled region

Sustainability
Water-saving crops of the future

Technical Objectives
See the plants

Evaluation
How the plants are doing

Project Map
See the sites

Format
Where and how

Current Status
Project timeline

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"Small Steps Towards Abundance: Crops for a More Sustainable Agriculture" on Amazon.com, or from the publisher.
Progress Reports

Timetable

June 2001 till September 2001
Construction of Quarantine sites in Israel and Morocco

September 2001 till January 2002
Germplasm preparation

January 2002
1st germplasm exchange

February 2002
New MERC planting at Kibbutz Ketura

April 2002
Completion of MERC building and quarantine site

June 2002
Construction of MERC greenhouse

August 2002
Experimental deployment of phytomonitoring equipment at AIES site

December 2002
Phy-tec system deployed and phytomonitoring begins

February 2003
1st harvest from MERC at AIES site at Kibbutz Ketura

October 2003

Meeting of Israeli and Moroccan researchers in Aquaba, Jordan


April 2004
Meeting of Israeli and Moroccan researchers in Morocco


June 2005

Meeting between Israeli and Moroccan researchers in Athens, Greece, to discuss continuing projects and joint publishing projects.



New Crops planted
Outplanting of candidates in orchard format for evaluation of pollinating patterns and favorable varieties.

Sapodilla Fruit




Large Hybrid Sapodilla Fruit





The Indian Almond is an additional cultivar for comparative study.

Indian Almond




Primary GermplasmDate Planted Average Height ThenAverage Height NowGainEvaluation
Argania Israeli April 200118 cm200 cm140cmgood
Argania MoroccanApril 2002seed100 cm89 cmgood
Marula April 200215cm 200cm135 cmexcellent
SapodillaApril 200120 cm120 cm55 cmgood
Black SapoteApril 200120 cm90 cm70 cmfair
CereusApril 200225 cm 110 cm 85 cmfair
Capers April 2002seed 80 cm80 cmgood
Capers SinaiApril 2002seed 90 cm90 cm good
NeemApril 200140 cm 250 cm210 cmexcellent
Carobs IsraeliFeb 200225 cm120 cm95 cm good
Carobs Egyptian Feb 200229 cm125 cm96 cmgood
Carobs MoroccanSept. 2001 seed100 cm100 cm good
Zisiphus a. and s.Feb 200230 cm260 cm230 cmexcellent
Zisiphus m.April 200150 cm300 cm250 cm excellent
Secondary GermplasmDate Planted Average Height ThenAverage Height NowGainEvaluation
Jambolan April 200135 cm 300 cm265 cm very good
Indian AlmondApril 2002seed 90 cm 90 cmgood
White Sapote April 200235 cm 38 cm3 cmfound not suitable
Tamarugo Feb 2002 40 cm 280 cm240 cm excellent
Zisiphus jujubeApril 2002 seed 80 cm80 cm OK
Balaites Aegypticus (lalob)Feb 2002 15 cm210 cm 195 cmgood
QuandongApr 2002 10 cm60 cm 50 cmgood
Observation GermplasmDate Planted Average Height ThenAverage Height NowGainEvaluation
Jojoba April 2002 seed 50 cm 50 cm good
Birdplum Feb. 2002 10 cm 150 cm 140 cm good
Jacketplum Feb 2002 18 cm 150 cm 132 cm good
Choc. berry(vitex) April 2002 10 cm 160 cm 150 cm good
Af. Chew. Gum April 2002 20 cm 140 cm 120 cm OK
Chios mastic tree Feb 2002 25 cm 150 cm 125 cm good
Senegal acacia Feb 2002 16 cm 140 cm 124 cm good
Blue gum Feb 2002 40 cm 400 cm 360 cm excellent
Mesquite April 2002 20 cm 215 cm 195 cm good
Panama berry April 2002 30 cm 190 cm 160 cm very good
Brazil fruit Feb 2002 seed 150 cm 150 cm very good
Catha edulis April 2002 seed 60 cm 60 cm OK
Govenor plum April 2002 seed 72 cm 72 cm OK
Mmilo (medlar) April 2002 seed 32 cm 32 cm found not suitable
Tamarind April 2003 seed 70 cm 70 cm good





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Contents ® 2000-2005 USAID/MERC except where noted. All rights reserved.
No part of the contents herein may be used or reproduced in any manner without written
permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
For more information on this project, contact Dr. Solowey elaine@desertagriculture.org