Doctoral student Susan Zhang is uncovering how pistachio trees resist drought and salinity. Her research, backed by USDA and UC Davis awards, could boost sustainable agriculture while inspiring the next generation of scientists.
Farmers can use a DIY test—requiring scissors and a garlic press—to check nitrogen levels in crops. This simple method helps boost yields and reduce fertilizer costs and pollution linked to nitrogen overuse.
Doctoral student Valentina Roel is testing compost-based fertilizers from food and yard waste as eco-friendly nitrogen alternatives. Early results show similar crop yields to synthetic fertilizers, offering climate and soil benefits.
New UC Davis research shows winter cover crops don’t reduce soil moisture, countering water-use concerns. This supports sustainable farming and urges updates to groundwater models that may unfairly penalize growers.
Pioneering plant geneticist Raymond C. Valentine, co-founder of Calgene and advocate for molecular farming, died March 9 at 86. His work transformed agriculture and led to the first genetically engineered food crops.
UC Davis hosted a USDA working group on indoor farming, gathering U.S. and Canadian scientists to share research on growing food and medicine in vertical farms and greenhouses using controlled environments and LED lights.
UC Davis scientists Carlos Crisosto and Thomas Gradziel have co-authored Peach, a new global handbook covering everything from orchard management to postharvest care. The guide aims to help growers boost quality and profits.
Doctoral student Marie Klein won best elevator talk at a national bioenergy meeting for her work on drought-tolerant poplars grown for jet fuel—part of a DOE effort to cut fossil fuels and greenhouse gases by 2050.
UC Davis scientists received $2.1M in USDA grants to breed green beans, chile peppers, and alfalfa better suited for heat and drought. The goal: improve quality, boost yield, cut costs, and adapt crops to climate change.
UC Davis students harvest surplus fruit from campus orchards through Fresh Focus, turning what would go to waste into fresh produce for food-insecure peers. In 2022, over 12,800 pounds were donated to student support programs.
Venkatesan Sundaresan, a UC Davis expert in rice reproduction and microbiomes, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for groundbreaking research on clonal seeds and drought-tolerant crops.
UC Davis named Eduardo Blumwald a 2023 Innovator of the Year for his team’s gene-editing discovery that reduces fertilizer use in cereal crops like rice by enhancing nitrogen-fixing bacteria—cutting costs and pollution globally.
UC Davis welcomed U.S. Special Envoy Cary Fowler to explore partnerships for global food security. Discussions centered on soil health, climate resilience, and indigenous crops, highlighting UC’s role in shaping VACS.
UC Davis’ Joshua Hegarty received an $800K USDA grant to breed triticale with better bread-baking qualities while maintaining high yields and low input needs, aiming to boost food security and value for farmers worldwide.
Gail Taylor is co-authoring a 2026 U.N. report offering solutions for global sustainability by 2050. The report tackles climate, biodiversity, and pollution, aiming to guide nations toward a more sustainable future.
