UC Davis graduate Joseph Urias, a first-gen student, combined hands-on work at Planting Justice with studies in horticulture. Now, he aims to connect sustainable agriculture with food systems, bridging academia and community initiatives.
Master’s student María José Godoy Harb studies food system lessons from COVID-19 on Rapa Nui Island. Her research informs policy for resilience and was selected for a Vermont conference. She received multiple awards and a UC Davis Global Fellowship.
UC researchers spent 20 years studying conservation agriculture in California, testing no-till, cover cropping, and residue management. Their findings show long-term benefits for soil health, water retention, and crop resilience, guiding future farming.
Two undergraduates in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences – Khushi Chawda and Deysi Alvaro Ceja – have been named to the Borlaug Scholars class of 2024. The National Association of Plant Breeders’ Borlaug scholarships pair students with an NAPB mentor.
Construction officially began on the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation with a groundbreaking event on May 29, celebrating the future $64.4 million facility at the University of California, Davis.
UC Davis is ending its strawberry licensing agreements with Eurosemillas due to contract issues. The university aims to ensure stable access to its strawberry varieties while continuing to support growers, research, and the global strawberry market.
Daniel Potter is the new chair of the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences, overseeing research, teaching, and outreach. A botanist and herbarium director, he aims to improve student connections and expand lab space.
Two UC Davis graduate students, Jennifer Cribbs and Nina Venuti, received nearly $100K each from CalFire to support forest restoration. Their research on tree resilience and seed collection aims to aid reforestation and ecosystem management in California.
The UC Davis Center for Plant Diversity Herbarium houses 300,000 preserved plant specimens, serving researchers, students, and the public. Using both traditional and modern techniques, it supports biodiversity studies, ecological research, and digital preservation efforts worldwide.
Loren Oki, UC Davis professor emeritus, retired after 29 years of research on water conservation, pesticide management, and nursery production. His work influenced state policies and industry practices, earning him induction into the Green Industry Hall of Fame.
Alfalfa offers a drought-resilient, high-protein crop for both livestock and human use. UC Davis researchers are exploring ways to improve yield, protein extraction, and resilience while testing almond shells as a soil amendment to enhance water infiltration.
UC Davis researchers are exploring how byproducts from anaerobic digesters, rich in nitrogen, can serve as fertilizers for wheat and triticale. Early results show promise for forage crops, potentially reducing chemical fertilizer use and costs.
UC Davis researchers are developing wheat and barley varieties to withstand drought, salinity, and climate change. Innovations include dual-purpose wheat, non-allergenic grains, drone monitoring, and water-efficient farming to support growers.
Richard Michelmore, UC Davis molecular biologist and founder of the Genome Center, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his work on plant disease resistance and COVID-19 testing. His research advances crop resilience and genomics.
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.
