Ardeshir Damania has won the Frank N. Meyer Medal for Plant Genetic Resources. A longtime scientist collecting and evaluating wheat genetic resources, he became a research associate in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences -- but not before saving the world's wheat genebank.

Aiming at big problems in ag, scientists in the lab of Eduardo Blumwald, in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, developed wheat that stimulates bacteria in the soil to produce fertilizer. It would save farmers billions of dollars, slash water and air pollution and help people in developing countries.

Donald J. Nevins, known for his work in biochemistry and cell physiology, died in Woodland, Calif., on July 8 at the age of 88. He was a professor emeritus in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences and chair of the former Department of Vegetable Crops from 1984-1989. A memorial service is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23, in Davis.