As part of the IUFRO Forest Environment Division 8 Conference 2026, the Symposium on Hybridization and Genetic Adaptation in Forest Trees under Drought Stress will examine how hybridization contributes to the adaptive capacity of forest trees facing water scarcity. The session will address genetic and ecological mechanisms that enhance drought tolerance and long-term forest resilience under changing climatic conditions. It will also emphasize the value of hybrid zones as sources of evolutionary innovation and genetic diversity for sustainable forest management.

About the convener

Rakefet David-Schwartz is a senior scientist at Volcani Institute (Israel), a molecular geneticist specializing in forest trees and the search for genetic resources for drought adaptation.

A core focus of her work is the study of interspecific hybrids. She has identified natural hybrids between two pine species, Brutia pine and Aleppo pine, which exhibit enhanced drought-adaptive traits superior to their parents. Her studies show that natural selection favors these hybrids over the parental species, highlighting their significance for future forest management under increasing drought stress. She also identified high-performing but sterile hybrids between two Acacia species in the desert. Her work stresses the importance of protecting hybrid zones to preserve their evolutionary potential. Furthermore, her lab has established methods for species and genotype selection to support woody species conservation.