Feeding a Growing Population Content

Bezos Earth Fund Grants $2M to UC Davis and American Heart Association to Advance AI-Designed Foods

Andy Fell — October 24, 2025 - 2:35pm

The Bezos Earth Fund has announced a $2 million grant to the University California, Davis, the American Heart Association and other partners to advance “Swap it Smart” as part of its AI for Climate & Nature Grand Challenge. The funding will support research that could help redesign foods, for example optimizing for flavor profile, nutritional properties and lower costs and environmental impact.

Turning Food Scraps into Opportunities

Amy M Quinton — September 30, 2025 - 1:05pm

UC Davis researchers have created an online tool to track food scraps and turn them into useful products.

AI Tool to Help Farmers Measure Real-Time Crop Health from the Field

Andy Fell — September 24, 2025 - 3:24pm

Leaf Monitor, a new mobile tool backed by artificial intelligence and predictive modeling, could revolutionize how farmers monitor crops and make decisions by providing real-time nutrition and leaf trait information in the field.

Cheaper, Sustainable Plant Biomanufacturing on Earth and in Space

Andy Fell — September 15, 2025 - 3:31pm

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have been awarded a $3 million National Science Foundation grant to develop new technologies and workforce training programs to grow plants in low-resource environments both on Earth and in space.

Sunglasses for Plants, and Sustainable Agriculture

Andy Fell — September 08, 2025 - 1:42pm

A multilayer film that reflects heat while letting through light needed for photosynthesis could make greenhouse agriculture more energy- and water-efficient. Such a film has been developed by engineers at the University of California, Davis, and is described in a recent paper in Advanced Energy & Sustainability Research.

Wheat That Makes Its Own Fertilizer

Amy M Quinton — August 27, 2025 - 8:00am

UC Davis scientists have developed wheat plants that produce their own fertilizer, opening the door for less air and water pollution and lower costs for farmers.

How Plants are Learning to Spot Sneaky Bacterial Invaders

Amy M Quinton — July 28, 2025 - 2:00am

UC Davis scientists are using AI t help plants recognize a wider range of bacterial threats.

UC Davis Launches Small-Batch Wine Label

Amy M Quinton — June 11, 2025 - 11:00am

UC Davis is selling wines to the public made by students, staff and faculty from Napa Valley and Yolo County grapes.

Could Dietary Changes — Even After Obesity — Help Prevent Pancreatic Cancer?

Amy M Quinton — June 04, 2025 - 9:12am

UC Davis researchers find low-fat diets slowed pancreatic precancer development in mice, even after weight gain.

Targeting Gluten: Researchers Delete Proteins in Wheat Harmful to People with Celiac Disease

Emily C Dooley — May 05, 2025 - 9:01am

A UC Davis study found that deleting a cluster of genes in wheat may reduce wheat allergies without harming breadmaking.