Fruit crops | Department of Plant Sciences

Would You Eat Ugly Produce? Beth Mitcham Explains Quality

Postharvest specialist Beth Mitcham, a faculty member in the Plant Sciences department at UC Davis, compares quality and cost of “imperfect” fruits and vegetables to store-bought produce. She notes that imperfect produce can be just as good, less expensive, and reduce food waste. VIDEO: Good Morning America.

Postharvest handling

Podcast — History, Cultivation, Production, and Breeding of Strawberries

A Gastropod podcast covers the cultivation of strawberries in Europe 300 years ago, to their transport to the U.S., to their major production in California. Professor Steve Knapp, director of the Strawberry Breeding Program, Department of Plant Sciences, UC Davis, is featured in the podcast.

Multimedia

Louise Ferguson Named President-Elect of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)

Louise Ferguson, faculty member in Plant Sciences, UC Davis, and Cooperative Extension pomology specialist for California, is the new President-elect of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS), a professional academic society. This appointment will be followed by a year as ASHS President and a year as Chairman of the ASHS Board of Directors.

Awards and rankings

UC Davis Releases Five New Strawberry Varieties – Publicly available plants will help farmers manage diseases, production costs

The Public Strawberry Breeding Program, UC Davis, has released five new varieties that will help farmers manage diseases, control costs, and produce plenty of large, robust berries using less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. Two of the varieties could increase yields by almost 30 percent.

Breeding

Avocados May Find a Place in Northern California Orchards to Meet Growing Consumer Demand

With U.S. avocado consumption doubling every decade, new Northern California avocado production is being explored to complement Southern California production.

Agriculture

Sensory Evaluation of Fruit Treated with Ethyl Formate

Project determines if ethyl formate, used as a fumigant for postharvest pest control, affects the sensory quality of citrus fruit.

Postharvest handling

Breeding a Better Strawberry: Scientists Uncover Genetic Roadmap of Cultivated Strawberry

Sweet and juicy strawberries that are easy to handle, high-yielding, and disease-resistant. An international team of scientists led by UC Davis and Michigan State University has taken a step that might allow breeders to grow strawberries that meet those needs.

Breeding

New Insight Into Why Pierce’s Disease is So Deadly to Grapevines: Research could help diagnose disease early and increase plant health

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Diseases of plants

Louise Ferguson: Outstanding Extension Educator Award

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Awards and rankings

$4.5 Million Grant Funds New Disease-Resistant Strawberries

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Awards and rankings