Ongoing research

Black Fig Fly

April 20, 2026
By Ben A Faber
Black Fig Fly (Diptera: Lonchaeidae: Silba adipata)Invasive Fig Pest Recently Discovered in Southern CaliforniaClick Here to Download the "Pest Alert" PDFOverviewFig growers need to be aware of the black fig fly (BFF), an invasive insect that was recently discovered infesting figs in multiple counties in…
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Honey bees at work inside the hive. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Engineering Honey Bee Gut Bacteria

April 20, 2026
By Kathy Keatley Garvey
 This promises to be an interesting talk!Synthetic biologist Sean Leonard, research scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will present  "Engineering Honey Bee Gut Bacteria to Activate Immunity and Limit Pathogens" at his seminar hosted by the UC Davis Department of Entomology and…
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California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) Logo Green, yellow, brown, & blue
Climate Smart Agriculture: Article

CDFA Block Grants 2026

April 20, 2026
By Heather Montgomery
Healthy Soils Program (HSP) and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) Block Grants Climate Bond Funding for Prop 4:Proposition 4 which was passed by California voters in November of 2024. CDFA's Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS) will utilize…
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Rex begonia with multicolored leaves
UC Marin Master Gardeners: Article

Venturing into the world of tropical plants

April 20, 2026
 Most of us don’t have gardens as expansive as those created by 18th century landscape architect Capability Brown who moved a river to create the beautiful vistas at Chatsworth House, or large enough to design outdoor “rooms” like those created in the 20th century by Vita Sackville West at her…
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nutria where you can observe its long, rat-like tail

Update on Nutria Populations

April 20, 2026
By Sarah Marsh Janish
Last year during the 2025 Winter Grower Meetings, we mentioned nutria as an emerging invasive pest capable of harming rice fields, especially in the Delta region. After these meetings, we received several anecdotal confirmations of sightings of nutria and nutria burrows around the Stockton area and further…
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Register now! May 7, 2026 field day at UC Davis

April 20, 2026
By Mark E Lundy
The agenda for the 2026 UC Small Grains and Alfalfa/Forages Field Day is set and registration is now open.May 7th, 2026 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM at the UC Davis Field Facility Continuing Education Units (CEU) and lunch are available. Register here: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm…
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