Selected research objectives: 1. Identifying the causative factors and developing solutions to “soil fatigue” and yield loss in the banana plantations. 2. Lowering banana plantation height by agrotechnical and genetic means. 3. Pinpointing the genetic basis of Panama Disease (TR4) tolerance in bananas. 4. Improving frost tolerance in banana plantations by net house improvement. 5. Breeding banana varieties with improved performance under sub-tropical conditions. 6. Introduction of new banana varieties with improved fruit quality. 7. Identifying the factors underlying Apple Replant Disease, evaluation and development of apple rootstocks tolerant to the phenomena in the local conditions. Location: MIGAL / Jordan valley banana research station / Western Galilee