Assaf Eybishitz

Senior Scientist – Tomato Breeding

Dr. Assaf Eybishitz is a Senior Scientist and Head of the Global Tomato Breeding Program at the World Vegetable Center. He is an experienced plant breeder and molecular biologist with over 20 years of experience in leading international tomato breeding programs across both public and private sectors. His research focuses on developing climate-resilient, high-performing tomato varieties with combined resistance to major diseases and tolerance to abiotic stresses, particularly heat, salinity, and drought. He integrates advanced phenotyping, molecular breeding, and genomics-based approaches to accelerate the development of improved tomato varieties adapted to diverse agro-ecological regions.

Dr. Eybishitz leads multi-location breeding pipelines and international collaborations across Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and the Americas, working closely with national programs, universities, and the private sector. Prior to joining WorldVeg, he spent more than a decade leading global tomato breeding programs in the seed industry. He holds a PhD in Plant Genetics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and an MBA, and has published extensively on tomato disease resistance, stress tolerance, and applied breeding strategies.

His work aims to deliver resilient sustainable, farmer-centered tomato varieties that strengthen food security and climate resilience in developing and emerging economies.