To celebrate Picnic Day, the Drakakaki Lab is giving away pistachio snacks and offering fun facts about the science of pistachios: how they are able to withstand salt and drought stress, exactly how that shell splits and more!
Arnold Bloom proposes a newly identified “Bloom cycle” within photorespiration, offering new insights for breeding crop plants that are productive, nutritious and resist pests amid warming temperatures.
Cameron Pittelkow is estimating greenhouse gas emissions from alfalfa fields and suggests ways to reduce those emissions depending on region. Valentina Roel-Rezk is measuring the link between organic amendments and GHG emissions.
The 2025 Rustici Rangeland Science Symposium at UC Davis will unite experts to address climate resilience, wildfire risks, and wolf-cattle conflicts. With key talks and networking, the event fosters solutions for sustainable rangeland management in California’s evolving landscapes.
Research shows ranchers benefit from planning for extreme weather, but climate-smart strategies alone aren’t enough. A new $990K USDA grant will support training, outreach, and resources to help ranchers adapt to drought and climate change.
UC Davis researchers are developing improved lima bean varieties suited for U.S. climates. By studying wild genetics and breeding for heat tolerance, yield, and nutrition, they aim to expand lima bean cultivation and consumer appeal nationwide.
A UC Davis study found most California farmers acknowledge climate change and seek adaptation strategies. Key concerns include water shortages, extreme heat, and wildfires. Farmers need financial aid, research, and policy support to boost resilience.
UC Davis received a $500K grant to breed drought-tolerant and disease-resistant carrots using wild genetics. Researchers aim to reduce fungicide use and secure crop yields, ensuring a stable carrot supply for growers and consumers.
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.
New research from the University of California, Davis, published in the journal Global Change Biology Bioenergy, examines the good and bad uses of biomass and the best pathways to meet California’s goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 85 percent of 1990 levels by 2045.
