News & Information Outreach

 Groundbreaking research that began with how caterpillars stay young drew acclamation and applause when the UC Davis School of Medicine (SOM) hosted its 2025 Convergence Research Celebration, held in the UC Davis Conference Center.The joint TEDx presentation, “Staying Young, Feeling Younger, and Slowing…

This week on In the Garden with UCCE Master Gardeners, you are in for a real listening treat! A replay of a wonderful broadcast from 2016. UC Master Gardener and show host Teena Spindler devotes the entire hour to the “Joy of Blooming Perennials.” Her guest is Horticultural Consultant and “The Plantsman…

Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, was originally from China and became a popular landscape shade tree in the 1800’s. However, its rapid growth, aggressive spread, and native habitat disruption have made it a global problem. Reproducing rapidly through dense root suckers and wind dispersal of its “winged”…

 Where are all the bumble bees?This spring they seem quite scarce in Solano and Yolo County gardens, but a trip to Bodega Bay, Sonoma County, reveals different results.They're all over the Pride of Madeira (Echium candicans), a species in the family Boraginaceae, and genus Echium, native to the island…

 If you grow tomatoes, you may have encountered root-knot nematodes."Knot" what you want.USDA-ARS research plant pathologist William Rutter will speak on "Investigating the Mechanisms that Underlie Host Plant Resistance Against Root-Knot Nematodes" at a seminar hosted by the UC Davis Department of…

Note: I'm sharing a survey request related to grower and industry needs related to novel weed control technologies in orchards, vineyards, and other perennial specialty crops.  Our team of research collaborators is developing this information as a first step towards a future coordinated national…

 It’s May, and that means gardeners in our area are planting melons, squashes, and cucumbers. These warm-season vegetables grow great in our climate. I’m convinced a single zucchini plant could feed a whole family, that is if it doesn’t get obliterated by squash bugs first. (Anasa tristis) …

 

The UC Davis Alfalfa Field Day will take place THIS Thursday, May 8, 2025, held in conjunction with the Small Grains Field Day. Sign-in begins at 7:30 AM at 2400 Hutchison Drive, Davis, CA 95616 (UC Davis Foundation Seed Building). The tour begins promptly at 8am, so don't be late! The tour begins with small…

We are well into Spring now, and if you haven’t done it yet it’s time to make sure your garden tools are in peak condition. Good maintenance not only prolongs the life and usefulness of garden tools; it also improves their performance in the garden. In addition, clean tools help prevent the spread of…

 Bring on the bugs!The Bohart Museum of Entomology will host an open house, themed "Insects: Life Stages," on Sunday afternoon, May 18. The event, free and family friendly, takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus."It's all about…

 It’s spring and your flowers and roses have begun to bloom. You stop to admire their color and fragrance. But hold on! Something has been eating your flowers! On closer inspection, you see it. A hoplia beetle, a mini munching menace.Hoplia beetles are common in the California Central Valley. Small,…

We evaluated blackeye bean varieties in a commercial field in Stanislaus County. Seven varieties from the University of California blackeye breeding program were planted on July 1st. The soil type at the trial location was well-drained (Dinuba and Hanford sandy loams, Tujunga loamy sand), and the soil…

UC ANR announced the availability of iThenticate, a resource for UC ANR academic authors preparing to submit academic writing for publication, in February. On Wednesday, May 21, from 2 to 3 p.m., please join Vice Provost Daniel Obrist and iThenticate trainers for an overview and demo of iThenticate to…

Some indoor pests can just be a nuisance; others can also be a health risk. Did you know that cockroaches and rodents are known to trigger asthma symptoms and lead to the development of allergic asthma for some people? This month, we recognize Asthma Awareness Month and share how you can reduce indoor…

General Situation: Daily high temperatures will be swinging between the low 70s and low 90s F over the next 10 days.  These are ideal conditions for thrips development. There are already scattered TSWV infections in crops in Fresno and Kings.  The key objective is to stop these scattered…

General Situation: Daily high temperatures will be swinging between the low 70s and low 90s F over the next 10 days.  These are ideal conditions for thrips development. There are already scattered TSWV infections in crops in Fresno and Kings.  The key objective is to stop these scattered…