Feeding a Growing Population Content

Study Reveals How Avocados Reverse Sexes Throughout the Day

Katherine E Kerlin — July 29, 2026 - 1:16pm

Some avocados are female in the morning and male in the afternoon, while others are on the opposite schedule. How avocados do this has been unclear — until now, thanks to a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study that could help avocado breeders.

That Avocado Oil Chip You’re Eating May Not Be Made With Pure Avocado Oil

Amy M Quinton — July 15, 2026 - 2:05pm

51�ԹϺ�� Davis researchers tested 54 avocado oil chips, mayo and dressings. Nearly 9 in 10 were adulterated with cheaper oils despite label claims.

California Wolves Feed Heavily on Cattle, Study Finds

Amy M Quinton — July 08, 2026 - 11:00am

California wolves primarily eat cattle and their presence cause significant stress among livestock, a new study finds.

Can Winter Grains Prevent Fallowing Fields?

Amy M Quinton — July 06, 2026 - 12:31pm

California’s San Joaquin Valley produces an enormous share of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. But it takes an unsustainable amount of groundwater to do it. New state rules aimed at reducing groundwater use are expected to force up to 20 percent of the valley’s irrigated fields out of production – a blow to farmers and communities.

Honeybee Queens Push Pesticides to Eggs to Protect Themselves Over Their Offspring

Katherine E Kerlin — July 02, 2026 - 8:00am

A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study reveals the extent a queen bee will go to survive.

51�ԹϺ�� Davis Uncorks Second Annual Wine Sale

Amy M Quinton — June 11, 2026 - 12:48pm

Student-made wines from 51�ԹϺ�� Davis go on sale June 16. Six student labels plus three 51�ԹϺ�� Davis wines, grown in Davis and Napa Valley. Proceeds fund scholarships.

AI Suggests Simple Food Swaps to Make Meals Healthier and Cheaper

Andy Fell — May 28, 2026 - 11:00am

An artificial intelligence framework that suggests just one to three ingredient swaps can make meals meaningfully more nutritious and less expensive, according to a new study published May 28 in the open-access journal PLOS Digital Health by Trevor Chan and Ilias Tagkopoulos of the University of California, Davis.

51�ԹϺ�� Davis Opens Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation

Amy M Quinton — May 21, 2026 - 9:39am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis opens the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation to advance climate-smart agriculture, sustainability and food security

The Fungus That Spoils Nearly Everything

Amy M Quinton — May 20, 2026 - 6:00am

51�ԹϺ�� Davis scientists discovered gray mold adapts to different crops, revealing why decades of disease-resistant breeding failed.

This Single Mother Must Learn Quickly — Or Her Colony Won’t Survive

Andy Fell — May 15, 2026 - 12:28pm

Being a single mother of 20 is no joke, especially if the survival of a whole species depends on it.

A queen bumblebee faces this very challenge when she lays her first eggs in the spring: She is utterly alone, with no worker bees to help.

She flies miles each day, collecting nectar to feed her young. She builds a protective nursery from wax. When she’s not out foraging, she climbs atop her larvae and buzzes to warm them.