Better management of walnuts in the field, and better handling and storage of the nuts after they are harvested, are key to boosting nut quality, keeping consumers happy and benefitting growers who supply nearly one-quarter of the world’s market each year.
Flexible harvest options may allow growers to plant small grains in the winter, rather than fallow ground, out of concern that there will not be adequate water or strong markets to justify the crop. Research by Plant Sciences faculty member Mark Lundy.
Cooling vegetables just after harvest prolongs shelf life and maintains quality. Most California vegetables are precooled before shipment using Cold air, Cold water, Ice, and/or Vacuum. Several of these were developed at UC Davis in the 1970s and 1980s in Plant Sciences, and in Biological and Agricultural Engineering.
