The four-day event is also being attended by experts from Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and the Palestinian Authority.

Underground water in the Negev has about one-tenth the salt concentration of the sea, but even that is fatal to vegetables, fruits and a variety of other crops. The rootstock of the vines has been found to work like a filter and keep the salt out of the grapes, says Ben-Asher.

Israel's Rishon Lezion wineries produced and bottled wines from the grapes.