Position Title
In Memoriam
Professor Emeritus of Pomology, Department Head
1918–2005
ROYCE S BRINGHURST
Birth: December 27, 1918, Bennion, Utah
Death: November 26, 2005, Davis, California
Education
- B.S., Agronomy, Utah State University, 1947
- M.S., Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, 1948
- Ph.D., Genetics, University of Wisconsin, 1950
Military Service
- Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Corps, Radio Operator/Gunner/Togglier 340th BG - 489th BS - 12th AF, 1942
Employment
- Subtropical Horticulturist and Avocado Geneticist, University of California, Los Angeles, 1950–1953
- Professor of Pomology, University of California, Davis, 1953–1989
- Chair, Department of Pomology, UC Davis, 1970-1975
- Professor Emeritus, UC Davis, 1989–2005
Honors, Awards, and Professional Societies
- Fellow, American Society for Horticultural Science, 1970
- Award of Distinction, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis, 1990
- Honorary Doctorate, Utah State University, 1993
Research Contributions and Impact
Royce Bringhurst is internationally recognized as one of the most influential strawberry breeders in history. His four-decade career at UC Davis transformed the global strawberry industry. Working closely with pomologist Victor Voth, Bringhurst developed more than 30 strawberry varieties, including Tioga, Chandler, Selva, Seascape, Oso Grande, and Camarosa, which at one time accounted for more than 75% of the strawberries produced in the United States.
His pioneering discovery of “day-neutral” strawberries, derived from a wild Fragaria virginiana plant collected in Utah, enabled year-round fruiting and revolutionized strawberry production worldwide. The breeding strategies he established continue to guide strawberry genetics today, and his germplasm formed the foundation for modern breeding programs across North America, Europe, and beyond.
Teaching and Mentorship
Bringhurst was admired for his generosity with students and colleagues, often emphasizing precision, curiosity, and perseverance in scientific research. He mentored many of the next generation’s leaders in plant breeding and strawberry genetics, who carried forward his research legacy at UC Davis and around the world.
Collaboration and Community
Bringhurst’s partnership with Victor Voth was one of the most productive collaborations in modern horticulture, combining genetic and agronomic innovations that quadrupled California’s strawberry yields between the 1950s and 1980s. Beyond research, Bringhurst served as the first bishop of the Davis student ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and, later, with his wife Pearl, as a missionary in Chile from 1992 to 1994.
Legacy
Royce Bringhurst’s work established UC Davis as a global center for strawberry research. His varieties shaped the industry’s evolution for decades, and the introduction of day-neutral strawberries permanently expanded the world’s growing season. In recognition of his contributions, UC Davis named the Royal Royce strawberry variety in his honor, ensuring his name continues to grow in the fields he helped transform.
References
For additional tributes, interviews, and biographies, see the following resources: