Giulia Marino, UC Davis' new Presidential Chair for Tree Nut Genetics, is developing resilient pistachio varieties to help farmers cope with warmer winters, water shortages, and rising costs, enhancing the state's $5-billion industry.
UC Davis researchers, led by Patrick J. Brown, received $3.8 million to improve pistachio production amidst warmer winters and water scarcity. The project aims to enhance pollination, irrigation, and rootstock resilience for long-term industry growth.
UC Davis doctoral student Matt Davis has been awarded a three-year Rockey Fellowship to research orchard crop genomics, focusing on salt tolerance in pistachios and walnut tissue culture, with support from FFAR and the California Pistachio Research Board.
A new walnut variety will provide growers a way to harvest earlier and boost the harvest efficiency of California's $1.6 billion walnut industry. It also builds upon the legacy of the UC Davis Walnut Improvement Program.
