Fertilizer

Blumwald Lab discovery could reduce pollution, save billions

Researchers in the Department of Plant Sciences have found a way to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizers needed to grow cereal crops such as rice. The discovery could save farmers in the United States billions of dollars annually in fertilizer costs while also benefiting the environment.

The research comes out of the lab of Eduardo Blumwald, a distinguished professor of plant sciences, who has found a new pathway for cereals to capture the nitrogen they need to grow.

Resources for Small Grain Management: UC Small Grains Blog

The annual small grain field day and other field-based activities were cancelled due to COVID-10, so Mark Lundy and colleagues are sharing digital resources related to nitrogen fertilizer management in small grains, small grain variety evaluation, and leaf and canopy meters to measure the N status of crops. Also posted are virtual field tours of small grain variety evaluation plots.

Mexican corn to feed poor nations?

Can an ancient corn from Mexico help feed people in developing regions around the world? Allen Van Deynze and other researchers at UC Davis and Northern California, and in Mexico, have been working hard to answer that question.

CDFA Awards $1.5 Million for Nutrient Management Projects through FREP Grant Program

Three from UC Davis — Patrick Brown and Mark Lundy (Plant Sciences) and Thomas Harter (LAWR) — received grants from the CDFA Fertilizer Research and Education Program. Seven recipients received $1.5 million to improve nitrogen efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and advance best management practices for fertilizer application in farmlands.