News

Even if you haven’t heard of Botrytis cinerea, you’ve likely seen it — slowly growing in your store-bought blueberries, tomatoes or even on your beautiful orchids. Commonly known as gray mold, the fungus attacks hundreds of plants. For years, scientists have unsuccessfully tried to breed crops that could resist the fungus. New research from the University of California, Davis, suggests decades of crop breeding strategies may have overlooked a crucial piece of the puzzle: the pathogen itself.

Frank Mitloehner, an air quality specialist, professor and director of the CLEAR Center, will be the new chair of the Department of Animal Science, which has the highest undergraduate enrollment in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. 

Dean Ashley M. Stokes called Mitloehner a distinguished member of the faculty who has had a significant impact in animal agriculture, environmental sustainability and public engagement. 

The widespread hypothesis that climate warming will result in unprecedented agricultural pest populations and cause food insecurity worldwide is oversimplified, according to a new study by a team led by Mia Lippey, an entomologist at the University of California, Davis. But the study does indicate that pests fare better in warmer temperatures than their natural enemies, which researchers identified as a cause for concern. 

Every dollar spent on forest fuel treatments saves about $3.75 in wildfire damages, according to a new study, led by researchers at the University of California, Davis, of nearly 300 fires in the western United States.

No matter how fast a species under threat can move, escape can only be successful if the new destination can meet its needs.

An ecological modeling study from the University of California, Davis, found that 7% to 16% of global plant species studied are expected to lose more than 90% of their range, facing high risk of extinction by 2100 under current climate change projections.

Once fallow tomato fields on the UC Davis campus are now home to irrigated corn fields growing silage that will help feed dairy cows.

The project is part of a new initiative bolstering sustainability and research efforts in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences by bringing dormant fields back in action in support of campus research and facilities.  

April has been a whirlwind of activity this month! We kicked off spring quarter with Aggie Day, where we welcomed thousands of admitted first years, transfers, families and supporters to campus. It is always so exciting to welcome our newly admitted students, learn about their interests, connect them with our faculty, staff and students, and encourage them to say yes to UC Davis – and our #1 ranked college! I also celebrated my first Picnic Day and was so inspired by all the hard work and dynamic presentations from our departments!

Across an expanse of open grassland in Sacramento County, an eight-foot, stream cut bank holds dozens of mud-domed bird nests, where tiny heads peeked out before a colony of cliff swallows took flight. Cliff swallows are small migratory birds that arrive in the Central Valley each spring to breed, and while they now commonly nest on bridges and freeway overpasses, finding their nests built in a natural setting is a striking and special sight, particularly in California’s Central Valley.

California has one of the highest rates of wildfire-driven deforestation in the world, and the trend has accelerated over the past three decades, according to a study from the University of California, Davis. 

A basic income program in Yolo County — one of the first such programs nationwide — lifted unhoused families above the California poverty line for two years. Families could, for a while, spend less time worrying about money and more time being a family, according to new University of California, Davis, research. 

The program provided a monthly stipend to 76 mostly single-parent families between 2022 and 2024, helping them gain housing, food and general wellbeing for two years.