Can fungus farming make tomatoes taste better? Israeli researchers say yes | The Jerusalem Post

Jpost · 🇮🇱 public Israel · May 30, 2026 · 1220 words · By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH

Sustainable Agriculture Biotechnology Innovation Environmental Protection

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What to know about Sustainable Agriculture

A fungus is always thought to be a harmful organism when they exist in humans and animals, as well as plants.

Claims checked 15

Techniques found 3

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A fungus is always thought to be a harmful organism when they exist in humans and animals, as well as plants.

Why it matters

But fungi – organisms that include yeasts and molds that get their nutrition by absorbing dissolved organic molecules, secreting digestive enzymes into their environment – take a bad rap.

Common ground

In agriculture, they play a dual role, acting both as destructive crop pathogens and as essential partners for soil health and plant growth.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole, Glittering Generalities: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Sustainable Agriculture story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The company uses proprietary bioreactor and tissue-culture technology to cultivate and extract highly consistent psilocybin (from Psilocybe fungi) and extract ibogaine from the tissue of the Tabernanthe iboga Africana tree?
How does this story connect Sustainable Agriculture with Biotechnology Innovation over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.jpost.com/science/article-897656

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 3 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

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Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 60% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Glittering Generalities 70% confidence

Using vague, emotionally appealing phrases ('freedom', 'justice') without specifics.

Why it matters: Recognizing glittering generalities helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 15 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 5

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 4

verified Verified By Reference 1

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Claim 1: “The company uses proprietary bioreactor and tissue-culture technology to cultivate and extract highly consistent psilocybin (from Psilocybe fungi) and extract ibogaine from the tissue of the Tabernanthe iboga Africana tree.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “They have just published their research in the journal Plant Physiology under the title “Make it grow: Pseudozyma aphidis extract promotes plant growth.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple web search results confirm the publication of the study titled 'Make it grow: Pseudozyma aphidis extract promotes plant growth' in the journal Plant Physiology.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are polymers of the sugar xylose. They are produced from the xylan fraction in plant fiber. Their C5 (where C is a quantity of carbon atoms in each monomer) structure is fun…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylooligosaccharide

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 29, 2026 · We found that P. aphidis uses plant growth promotion mechanisms that include auxin-like molecules, siderophores and volatile molecule secretion.Introduction · Results · Discussion · Mat…
https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/200/4/kiag079/866506…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The effect of Pseudozyma aphidis on plant physiology. M.Sc. Thesis. 623. Simberloff, D., & Stiling, P. (1996). How Risky is Biological Control? Ecology, 77(7) ...
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.12.632596v1.…

+ 1 more evidence source

verified

Claim 3: “Fungal infections can destroy between 20% and 40% of global annual harvests”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence discusses fungal threats to wildlife and amphibians, but none of the sources mention a 20% to 40% loss in global annual crop harvests.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A mycorrhiza (from Ancient Greek μύκης (múkēs) 'fungus' and ῥίζα (rhíza) 'root'; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza, or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant, in which fungal…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Fungal infection, also known as mycosis, is a disease caused by fungi. Different types are traditionally divided according to the part of the body affected: superficial, subcutaneous, and systemic. Su…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungal_infection

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — A fungus (pl.: fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes yeasts, molds, as well as mushrooms. These organisms are classified in the biological kingdom Fungi. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “Plants treated with the extract flowered one to two weeks earlier than those in the control group.”

CORROBORATED

The claim is confirmed by both a cross-reference and a web search result stating plants flowered one to two weeks earlier.

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web search NEUTRAL — Treated plants also flowered one to two weeks earlier than untreated plants, potentially shortening production cycles for growers. The most dramatic results were seen in crop output.
https://israel.com/science/natural-fungus-based-extract-coul…

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web search NEUTRAL — By harnessing an extract derived from the yeast-like fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, researchers have developed a technique that not only boosts crop yields significantly but also enhances the sensory qual…
https://bioengineer.org/fungus-fueled-farming-unlocking-swee…

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web search NEUTRAL — Read more from me on my blog: https://www.autodesk.com/blogs/water/author/trevorenglish/For most everyone around the world, turning on your tap and getting f...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_ZcCqqpS2o

+ 1 more evidence source

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Claim 5: “The natural, eco-friendly way to significantly increase agricultural yields while also improving the quality and taste of produce was developed by Prof. Maggie Levy and researchers Anton Fennec and Neta Rotem.”

CORROBORATED

Three separate web sources identify Prof. Maggie Levy, Anton Fennec, and Neta Rotem as the researchers who developed this method.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 22, 2026 ... The study, led by Professor Maggie Levy alongside researchers Anton Fennec and Neta Rotem ... quality of agricultural produce” said Professor ...
https://www.cfhu.org/news/the-secret-sauce-for-sweeter-stron…

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web search NEUTRAL — May 14, 2026 ... answer is a resounding yes. Prof. Maggie Levy from the Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture ... Anton Fennec and Neta ...
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hebrew-university_sustainable…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 15, 2026 ... ... yields while also improving the quality and ... The study, led by Professor Maggie Levy alongside researchers Anton Fennec and Neta Rotem ...
https://m.farms.com/news/fungus-powered-farming-delivers-hig…

info

Claim 6: “treated tomato seeds displayed an 18% increase in germination rate, while corn and melon seeds increased by 7%.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The web search results provided for this claim are completely irrelevant, discussing Disney+ video quality and Swisscom boxes instead of agricultural data.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Disney+ 最高支持 4K Ultra HDR，具体规格上 Dolby Vision 、Dolby Atoms 以及 HDR 10 都是支持的。目前 Disney+ 在所有移动设备上最高的画质都是 1080p HDR，只有电视、电视盒子、游戏主机才支持到 4K Ultra HDR。（4K HDR设置支持可参考 How do I watch Disney+ in 4K Ultra HD and/…
https://www.zhihu.com/question/467986412

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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 22, 2025 · Der dortige Beitrag behandelt jedoch ein spezifisches 4K-Problem. Die (alle) Disney+ Filme ruckeln auf meiner Swisscom Box (IP 2000). An ihr hängt ein ca. 10jähriger Samsung UE55H6770 T…
https://community.swisscom.ch/d/858997-disney-filme-ruckeln-…

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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 29, 2025 · Zitat: Was muss ich nach der Bestellung machen, um Disney+ zu verwenden? Sie müssen im Anschluss an Ihre Bestellung einen Disney+ Account erstellen. Dazu finden Sie auf der Bestätigungs…
https://community.swisscom.ch/d/863278-disney

schedule

Claim 7: “the fungus promotes growth through several mechanisms, including the production of auxin-like molecules that are natural plant hormones, as well as siderophores, which help plants absorb iron from the environment.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 8: “Researchers at the Hebrew University have developed a natural extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis that can produce higher yields and better taste in specific crops.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that Israeli researchers developed a natural extract from Pseudozyma aphidis to boost crop yields and improve taste.

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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 4, 2026 · Hebrew language, Semitic language of the Northern Central group. Spoken in ancient times in Palestine, Hebrew was supplanted by the western dialect of Aramaic beginning about the 3rd cen…
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hebrew-language

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web search NEUTRAL — Hebrew is a member of the Canaanite group of Semitic languages. It was the language of the early Jews, but from 586 BC it started to be replaced by Aramaic.
https://www.omniglot.com/writing/hebrew.htm

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web search NEUTRAL — The Academy of the Hebrew Language of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem currently invents about 2,000 new Hebrew words each year for modern words by finding an original Hebrew word that captures the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language

info

Claim 9: “Melon plants showed a weight increase five times greater than the untreated plants.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim is only supported by a single cross-reference source ('Phys'). No independent web search results confirm this specific weight increase.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — Melon plants showed a weight increase five times greater than the untreated plants.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fungus-powered-farming-higher-…

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Claim 10: “Tomatoes were found to be firmer and received higher scores in sensory taste tests for sweetness and aroma.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 11: “The research was supported by the Agriculture Ministry.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the research is discussed, none of the provided evidence snippets explicitly state that the research was supported or funded by the Agriculture Ministry.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 30, 2026 ... “Our findings demonstrate that the extract of compounds secreted by Pseudozyma aphidis acts as an effective agent for enhancing both the ...
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-897656

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web search NEUTRAL — aphidis and calibrated the dosage and application method. The fraction secreted by P. aphidis was applied to seeds and plants, thus eliminating the dependency ...
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13127791/

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web search NEUTRAL — The need to supply food for a growing world population, while protecting the environment by using sustainable agriculture, presents a major challenge, ...
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/383

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Claim 12: “This method improves the firmness and natural sugar content of tomatoes, as well as melons and corn, while significantly boosting production.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources explicitly state that the Pseudozyma aphidis extract improves firmness and natural sugar content in tomatoes and melons.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 13, 2026 · Using a natural extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, this method improves the firmness and natural sugar content of crops like tomatoes ...
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1128039

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web search NEUTRAL — May 30, 2026 · Israeli researchers show a fungal extract can boost crop yields, improve taste, and reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers.
https://www.jpost.com/science/article-897656

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web search NEUTRAL — Using a natural extract from the fungus Pseudozyma aphidis, this method improves the firmness and natural sugar content of crops like tomatoes and melons while ...
https://www.facebook.com/victoria.parkanderson/photos/d41d8c…

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Claim 13: “The second company she co-founded eight years ago, based on research in mammary cell biology, is BioMilk (now Wilk), the first publicly traded company aiming to produce cultured cow and human breast milk from cells in a bioreactor.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “One is PsyRx, which is developing an innovative treatment for depression. The patented drug it developed combines an FDA-approved selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders with microdoses of ibogaine.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 15: “The treated tomato plants produced over 60% more ripe fruit by weight compared to the control group.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim is only supported by a single cross-reference source ('Phys'). No independent web search results confirm this specific percentage.

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cross reference SUPPORTS — The treated tomato plants produced over 60% more ripe fruit by weight compared to the control group.
https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fungus-powered-farming-higher-…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.