AI is transforming food systems from plant breeding to nutrition. At UC Davis, researchers use AI to improve crop resilience, optimize processing, and enhance dietary insights, making agriculture more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven.
Marie Klein, a Ph.D. student in plant sciences at UC Davis, was named a 2023 Borlaug Scholar for her work in poplar genetics and renewable jet fuel. The award offers career mentoring and supports her global research goals.
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 researchers, led by Gail Taylor, are studying lettuce genetics to improve shelf life and bacterial resistance. Their findings could help breed longer-lasting, more nutritious lettuce for the $3.7-billion industry.
UC Davis hosted the first Industrial Hemp Field Day, showcasing research on pest management, water and nitrogen use, and breeding for disease resistance. The event, attended by 80-100 growers, addressed challenges in legal hemp cultivation.
UC Davis researchers are leading a $3.3 million project to improve lima bean breeding. The initiative focuses on traits like heat tolerance and disease resistance and aims to develop climate-resilient varieties and create a public genetic database for breeders.
Researchers at UC Davis are studying genes that control how quickly wheat leaves shift between sun and shade to improve photosynthesis. Faster-shifting leaves could boost carbon intake and increase wheat yields, potentially feeding more people.
