Mitchell Feldmann, an assistant professor and genetics researcher, is the new director of the Strawberry Breeding Program, an internationally recognized public program that has released more than 70 patented cultivars over its storied history.
Advances in breeding and postharvest handling in strawberries and tomatoes, aimed at reducing the costs of disease in the field and in postharvest, were on display at the recent Strawberry Disease Field Day, hosted by the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program.
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.
UC Davis' Strawberry Breeding Center received $6.2 million to enhance strawberry crop resilience against diseases and pests. The four-year project will focus on genetic research, gene editing, and breeding to ensure sustainable production.
UC Davis researchers discovered genes in strawberries resistant to Fusarium wilt, a deadly soilborne disease. This breakthrough will protect crops, offering future cultivars with the resistance gene and helping safeguard California’s strawberry industry.
