New Drought-Resistance Wheat Named for 7/10 Victims

Israel’s Volcani Institute has developed a new drought-resistant wheat variety and named it after agronomist Yakov Inon, who was murdered by Hamas terrorists alongside his wife Bilha during the October 7, 2023 attack at Moshav Netiv Ha’asara.

The new strain, called “Ya’akobi,” was developed by a research team led by Roi Ben-David as part of the Agriculture Ministry’s research and development arm. It is designed to cope with climate change, offering resistance to drought and heatwaves and the ability to grow in the Negev under both irrigated and non-irrigated conditions.

The wheat is early-maturing, ripening approximately three weeks earlier than comparable varieties, allowing it to avoid unstable weather patterns later in the season. Researchers say it is also high-yielding and rich in gluten, making it suitable for both industrial and home baking.

Inon, a field-crop expert, served as an agricultural consultant and regularly advised Volcani researchers on trial crops grown at the institute’s research fields in central Israel.

The Ya’akobi variety has already been harvested in limited quantities this year, with wider adoption expected in the next growing season.

Yakov Inon, 78, and his wife Bilha, 75, were killed in their home during the Hamas-led attack. His remains were identified weeks later, while Bilha was initially listed as missing until authorities confirmed her death in August 2024 following a complex identification process.