SALINAS, Calif. -- Steam treatment of soil offers growers a viable alternative to chemicals and a money-saver for organic farmers. It also benefits farm laborers by reducing their exposure to potential harm, said graduate student Erika Escalona. She is assessing the impacts on weeds, soil-borne disease and the soil biome of steam treatments used to disinfest lettuce and spinach fields in the Salinas Valley.
Half of the fresh fruits and vegetables grown in developing countries never get eaten: They spoil after harvest.
In a rustic-looking garden on the UC Davis campus recently, two dozen young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa viewed simple, low-cost innovations that can reduce postharvest losses, increase food safety and preserve nutritious food in their home countries.
Alfalfa expert Charlie Brummer says it's time to "think about redesigning the alfalfa plant from first principles," after 40 years of frustrated efforts to increase yield. He made the remarks at a recent meeting of the North American Alfalfa Improvement Conference. Students also presented their research, including trials to grow the crop with less water.
Four students connected to the UC Davis Department of Plant Science have received grants from the Milton D. and Mary M. Miller Plant Science Award, which supports learners interested in careers with Cooperative Extension.
The 2024 awardees are Maya Shydlowski, Erika Escalona, Sam Dudley and Ben Baldi. All four students said they are eager to share what they are learning with people in the field who need solutions for everyday problems.
The world cacao and chocolate market was estimated to be worth more than $47 billion in 2021, and growing. Two UC Davis collaborative projects aim to enlarge the share of that wealth for small farmers in Colombia.
Weeds abound: On farmland, pastures, rangelands, in natural areas, in our yards and along our sidewalks. Managing those pesky plants costs plenty: California farmers alone spend more than $900 million annually on weed control, according to a University of California study.
Master’s student María José Godoy Harb wants people to know about a remote spot in her native Chile that offers global insights: Easter Island, where the COVID-19 pandemic offered lessons for making food systems more resilient.
Wheat was the first Western crop planted in California more than 250 years ago, and it’s still a strong contender for growers seeking options as temperatures get hotter and water turns more salty and scarce, researchers at UC Davis told growers and industry representatives this week.
Strawberries – luscious, beautiful and fragrant – figure in spring and summer traditions around the world. At UC Davis, the Strawberry Breeding Program is an important source for varieties that meet the needs of growers with different weather and soils, grown amid changing conditions of climate, water and market.
Grey Monroe has received a CAREER Award for the Faculty Early Career Development Program from the National Science Foundation. Monroe is an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.
