California Fruit and Vegetable

Tag: UC Davis

  • Sun World International Celebrates 50 Years

    Sun World International, a global leader in fruit genetics and licensing, celebrated its 50th anniversary during its 2026 Symposium and Field Days, marking five decades of innovation that have helped shape the fresh produce industry. The company also honored Board Chairman, David Marguleas, for his 40 years of leadership and contributions to Sun World, establishing the David Marguleas Endowed Research Fund in support of UC Davis Viticulture & Enology and dedicating the David Marguleas Tasting Room at the Sun World Center for Innovation.

    Founded in 1976 by David’s father, Howard Marguleas, along with Carl Maggio and Domenick Bianco, Sun World began as a California produce marketing company, but over five decades, they have introduced the first commercialized seedless watermelon, seedless table grapes and lemons, and have become a global fruit genetics and licensing business with brands recognized in markets around the world.

    “Fifty years ago, Sun World was founded on a simple but ambitious idea: fruit can be better,” said David Marguleas. “That idea has guided the company through every stage of its evolution, from early product introductions to the genetics, brands and global connections that define Sun World today. This anniversary is a celebration of the people who built that foundation and the opportunity we have to carry it forward.”

    More than 450 growers, licensees, marketers, retailers, researchers and industry leaders gathered for the company’s Symposium and Field Days, where attendees explored the next generation of Sun World innovation and the future of fresh produce. The anniversary celebration also brought former breeders to the stage alongside Marguleas, recognizing the scientific talent, shared expertise and long-standing relationships that have shaped Sun World’s programs across generations.

    Marguleas joined Sun World in 1986 and held leadership roles across the company for four decades. He became president and CEO in 2019 and assumed the role of executive chair in January 2025. During his tenure, Sun World evolved from a diversified produce marketing company into a global fruit variety development and licensing business, expanding its presence in key growing regions and building a broader portfolio of proprietary fruit offerings.

    The David Marguleas Endowed Research Fund will provide support for UC Davis students, faculty and researchers whose work advances California’s grape industry, while fostering stronger connections among research, education, and the industry. The David Marguleas Tasting Room dedication recognizes his vision, leadership and lasting impact on Sun World’s culture of discovery, collaboration and innovation. This will be a dedicated space where Sun World teams and guests can evaluate fruit, exchange perspectives and continue developing new consumer experiences.

    “David’s deep industry knowledge and commitment to discovery have helped shape who we are today,” said Bernardo Calvo, president and chief executive officer at Sun World International. “He has helped set a standard for how Sun World approaches innovation: stay curious, bring the right people together and keep raising the bar for what fresh produce can deliver. The research fund and tasting room reflect that legacy while creating spaces and opportunities that will help inspire the next generation.”

    Marguleas influence extends beyond the company’s business evolution. He has championed the relationships that link breeding and research with growers, licensees, marketers and retailers, helping Sun World build programs around both commercial performance and the consumer experience.

    “Sun World’s story has been written by people willing to ask what can be improved and then work together to make it happen,” said Marguleas. “I am deeply honored by these recognitions, and grateful to the many colleagues, growers, researchers and industry leaders who have contributed to the company’s success over the past 50 years.”

    — Story contributed by Sun World International

  • UC Davis Opens Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation

    The University of California, Davis, celebrated the grand opening of the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation.

    Made possible by philanthropic support, including a lead transformative gift from Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through their foundation in 2022, the new center is housed within the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The center builds on the university’s longstanding global leadership in agriculture with a focus on translating research into real-world impact.

    “This center represents the best of UC Davis, uniting our strengths in agriculture, engineering and environmental sciences to address challenges facing communities across California and around the world,” said Chancellor Gary S. May. “We are deeply grateful to Lynda and Stewart for their partnership and support, which expand research opportunities and drive solutions that will shape the future of agriculture.”

    Students, faculty, staff, donors and industry partners joined university leaders May 19 to celebrate the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, open house and tours.

    “Lynda and I have always believed that growing more food with fewer resources is one of the most important things we can do,” said Stewart Resnick, chairman of The Wonderful Company. “UC Davis is the leading ag university in the country, and we all have a stake in giving them everything they need to continue leading on this important work. This center will train the next generation, drive practical solutions, and get this urgently needed progress to growers and communities around the world.”

    The Resnick Center reflects a broader commitment from the couple and their foundation, whose $50 million gift to UC Davis in 2022 included $40 million for the facility and $10 million to establish the Resnick Agricultural Innovation Research Fund, advancing research into sustainable uses for agricultural byproducts. Stewart Resnick also serves on the Chancellor’s Board of Advisors, underscoring the Resnicks’ longstanding commitment to the university and its mission.

    The 34,000-square-foot facility includes hands-on learning in an innovative and immersive environment that connects education to research and discovery. Experts across disciplines will work in labs equipped with robotics, sensors, data science and artificial intelligence — technologies transforming how agriculture is managed and scaled. Research efforts will focus on making agricultural systems more resilient, developing advanced technologies, maximizing sustainability through water and energy efficiencies, and expanding access to nutritious food.

    “The new Resnick Center strengthens our ability to integrate research, teaching and extension in ways that directly serve California and beyond,” said Ashley M. Stokes, dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “It creates a dynamic environment where discovery, learning and community engagement come together — accelerating innovation, deepening partnerships with industry, and translating knowledge into real-world solutions. The design and flexibility of the space allow us to reimagine ideas and respond with agility to the evolving needs of our communities.”

    The center will incorporate specialized labs and equipment that bolster efforts to transform agricultural byproducts into useable materials. This work is supported by the annual competitive research grants funded by the Resnicks, through their foundation.

    Over the past three years, UC Davis researchers have explored how agricultural waste — including discarded hulls and shells from California’s iconic specialty crops like almonds, pistachios and pomegranates — can be repurposed as soil amendments, sustainable food products and low-cost industrial materials. The new facility will allow for widespread exploration of even more agricultural crops and potential uses.

    In addition to experiential learning opportunities, the facility houses The Wonderful Scholar Center, a student success hub that offers academic and career advising for more than 50 students who are attending UC Davis on a Wonderful Scholarship. With a commitment to supporting first-generation students, the Resnicks, their foundations and The Wonderful Company have awarded over 3,500 scholarships of up to $40,000, providing mentorship and tutoring support with dedicated coaches, and equipping students with the tools to succeed in college and beyond.

    “As a first-generation college student who grew up around agriculture, I came to UC Davis with a deep appreciation of what farming families are up against. The Wonderful Scholarship brought me here, and this center has shown me how research, innovation, and policy all have to work together to change the future of agriculture,” said Jose Gomez, Wonderful Scholar and second-year political science major. “What the Resnicks have built isn’t just a building. It’s a bridge across disciplines — driving research, innovation, and people forward. I intend to spend my life serving others and advancing solutions that strengthen our communities.”

    “Today marks the beginning of a new era,” Chancellor May said. “The discoveries made inside this building will extend into farms, fields, and communities around the globe, shaping a more resilient and sustainable future for agriculture.” — Story by Courtney Tompkins, UC Davis

  • Tomato Industry Taking Steps to Stop Spread of Parasitic Weed

    California’s processing tomato industry for the first time this past harvest season agreed to voluntary equipment cleaning and notification guidelines to prevent the spread of branched broomrape, a parasitic weed that attaches to roots and sucks out key nutrients.

    The weed’s tiny seeds can be smaller than finely ground spices, survive dormant in soils for decades and be carried by wind, footwear and other methods. Its resurgence in 2017 in Yolo County threatens the productivity of an industry that brought in $1.6 billion in 2024.

    The University of California, Davis — in conjunction with industry — federal authorities and state regulators, is playing a key research role in the battle against broomrape by testing and developing in-field sanitation guidelines for tomato harvesters and other field equipment. Researchers across campus are also evaluating herbicide treatments, weeding methods, ways to detect the weed and disrupt its ability to affect crops.

    Harvesting with Conditions

    Under former state quarantine rules, any broomrape detection would require a field be destroyed before harvest. With the new guidelines, growers may harvest if they adhere to certain management practices, including equipment cleaning standards developed by the California Broomrape Board, formed in 2024 to advise the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

    “There’s 1,000 acres that are actually reported but we know from observation that it’s probably much greater than that,” said Cassandra Swett, a UC Davis plant pathologist who is leading efforts to sanitize field equipment. “There are two main goals: reduce the economic impacts of broomrape on growers in the affected region by allowing them to harvest, and on the other side, keep broomrape out of the regions that do not currently have it.”

    In 2025, nearly all growers and processors in the state signed on to compliance agreements regarding cleaning and notification, and this year the California Department of Food and Agriculture is expected to require them, said Zach Bagley, managing director of the California Tomato Research Institute, which has been working on broomrape control issues since 2018.

    “It’s overall seen as a positive in the industry,” Bagley said. “The driver for sanitation is not just the biology of this weed and the reality in the field, but it also has regulatory components.”

    Also, this year, all processing tomato canneries in the state have agreed to build on-site wash stations or set up cleaning protocols for the 2026 season to help stop the spread from harvest trailers.

    “We can never have a 100% guarantee that we’re not moving seed, but we can do our best to take it off in the fields where we know we have a problem, and that’s where the research comes in,” said Bagley, whose organization helps fund related UC Davis research.

    Effectiveness and Timing Key 

    Swett, fabricators with the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, a Cooperative Extension farm advisor and others in the industry are working on prototypes of sanitizing equipment, evaluating spray nozzle size, water pressure, aim and other factors.

    Cleaning is no simple task, and it consists of removing debris with physical cleaning and sanitizing. The right combination of debris removal followed by a sanitizer can substantially reduce dispersal risk, Swett said.

    The goal is to reach under and around tractors and remove mud, soil, plant material or anything that can collect and carry broomrape seeds. Some versions of these prototype cleaning systems are in the field and others roll under the equipment.

    “These machines are running 24 hours a day,” Swett said. “Taking that downtime to clean the machine is really messing up harvest schedules.”

    At present, cleaning a tomato harvester can take hours, but industry is hoping it can get to less than an hour to meet labor, costs and logistics needs. “One of the drivers of this work has been, ‘How can we make it faster but still be acceptable at the end of the day?” Bagley said. Agricultural engineer Dan Frank and crop advisor Patricia Lazicki have developed and are testing prototypes of automated systems that can improve cleaning time and coverage, Swett said.

    A Better Picture

    Before the broomrape compliance agreements, it was difficult to determine how many of the 185,000 to 250,000 tomato production acres might be infected because reporting would mean losing a crop and the money invested on planting, irrigation and other efforts with no hope of insurance covering the loss.

    The agreements have changed that, said Brad Hanson, a professor of Cooperative Extension in plant sciences who is an ad hoc member of the Broomrape Control Board.

    “With the risk of crop quarantine off the table for growers under the compliance agreements, we can talk about the problem out in the open,” Hanson said. “The daylighting part of this has been really helpful because for the last five years, we’ve been really in the dark.”

    Now it’s about working toward a common solution, said Neil McRoberts, a UC Davis plant pathologist who researches ways to support plant health and regulations. He is also a non-voting member of the board and familiar with pests that have caused widespread damage to other crops. With broomrape, the attention is focused before the weed has spread widely across fields in California and potentially to other crops like carrots, potato and sunflower.

    “I’m hopeful because the issues are being faced very early on,” he said.  — By Emily C. Dooley, UC Davis

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

    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.

    “Having this information is very valuable for the farmers,” said Alireza Pourreza, associate professor of Cooperative Extension and director of the Digital Agriculture Laboratory in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at the University of California, Davis. “In five seconds, they can have a sense of how much nutrition they have in a leaf.”

    Development of the AI model was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s HiRes Vineyard Nutrition multistate project and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, as well as the California Table Grape Commission.

    Maha Afifi, director of viticulture research at the California Table Grape Commission, said the tool could be a game changer for the table grape industry if it leads to faster decision-making about fertilizer use. The right amount typically leads to healthier vines that produce more grapes with optimal size, weight and color.

    “The evaluation of vine nutrient status is one of our top priorities,” Afifi said. “At the same time, exploring new technology tools like this project is a high priority for us because they will be important to the future of the table grape industry.”

    Field testing

    The Leaf Monitor tool uses a handheld spectrometer to measure leaf reflectance beyond the range of light visible to the human eye.

    Once a leaf is scanned, its spectral data is uploaded to a cloud-based machine learning system designed to predict leaf traits and nutrient content. This algorithm was developed and trained by the Digital Agriculture Laboratory over five years using a dataset of thousands of leaf samples collected from California’s specialty crops, primarily grapevines and almonds. The samples were chemically analyzed to determine nutrient levels and structural leaf traits, providing the data needed to build an accurate prediction model.

    “Nutrient deficiencies in plants often go unnoticed until late in the season, by which point the damage is already irreversible,” said graduate student Parastoo Farajpoor, who is running the project. “This is why early detection is essential. Spectrometry provides a rapid and reliable way to identify these deficiencies before visible symptoms appear.”

    After a recent demonstration, Bulleseye Farms Irrigation Manager Geoff Klein said the tool could help save money and improve yields. Bullseye grows walnuts, pistachios, tomatoes, corn, wheat, rice and sunflowers in Yolo and Solano counties.

    Tailored crop management

    Currently, farmers typically take leaf samples, dry them, grind them up and send the samples off to a lab for testing, which can take up to two weeks to return results. Bullseye samples leaf tissues about three times a year.

    “Right now, it doesn’t really make sense to go out and take tissues in every single corner just because it’s expensive,” Klein said. “It’d be really cool if I could just walk out there and test a couple of different places.”

    The Leaf Monitor tool helps farmers tailor management decisions to specific areas rather than an entire field. Calibrating fertilizer use to real-time data can prevent overuse and nitrogen runoff, a financial and environmental challenge that many growers face.

    “I feel like there’s a lot of times we do need to put less [fertilizer] on, where we end up putting more, because that’s what the nitrogen removal formula says,” Klein said. “But with this app we can use less because we know the actual conditions at the time. I think it opens a lot of doors in terms of getting data back in real time and also utilizing the level of control we have with the data.”

    The app can also aggregate the scans and map out spatial patterns over a large area.

    “What we know is every field has variability that is not necessarily visible to the farmer’s eye,” Pourreza said.

    The prototype Leaf Monitor tool is free and included in a set of tools that can be downloaded on the Digital Agriculture Laboratory website. A web-based version of the tool will follow while the team continues to feed new data into the algorithm to refine the predictions. On average, it achieves about 65% accuracy across all traits, with predictions for certain nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, performing better than the overall average. Users will need to pair it with a spectrometer.

    “We need to produce more food while using less resources so we need to have some kind of monitoring system to give us precise and accurate feedback on our management practice,” Pourreza said. “This technology is growing very fast.” — By Emily Dooley, UC Davis

  • Turning Food Scraps into Opportunities

    For every juicy tomato or crunchy almond California grows, there’s a pile of pulp, hulls or scraps that often goes to waste. A new online tool, created by University of California, Davis researchers, tracks those agricultural byproducts aiming to find innovative ways to put them to use.

    The Byproduct Database, maintained by the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems, is an ongoing research project that includes a catalog of byproducts like fruit skins and nut shells, and potential ways to reuse them across different industries.

    Edward “Ned” Spang, principal investigator and associate professor with the Department of Food Science and Technology, said about one third of the food produced worldwide, doesn’t get eaten. The database consolidates information about food waste in one place, detailing what the various leftovers are made of and where they’re available in the state. Spang believes it could help guide decisions on reducing waste by potentially turning these materials into new products for food, cosmetics or pharmaceutical industries.

    “In the food production space, there’s a lot of edible material, or potentially valuable material, that’s been overlooked for a long time as waste,” Spang said. “So, the questions we are trying to understand include: ‘How much of this material is out there? What is it composed of? Where is it? When is it available?’”

    Tomatoes, almonds, pistachios and pomegranates

    The pilot phase of the database currently features four major crops: tomatoes, almonds, pistachios and pomegranates. As the research team continues to gather data, they will update the site to include other crops and byproducts, including wine grapes, stone fruits and citrus. In collaboration with Ilias Tagkopoulos with the Department of Computer Science, Spang is looking into developing and applying AI tools to expand the site faster and with less manual work.

    For pistachios, the website illustrates that the largest byproduct is the hull, which is often discarded, and that undersized pistachios could be a valuable resource if there was a market for it. The website helps outline the various byproducts for potential upcycling, where leftovers are transformed into new ingredients. Local companies are already developing new products using materials such as brewers’ spent grain (a byproduct of beer production), okara (a fibrous byproduct from soymilk production) and grape pomace (leftovers from winemaking).

    Researchers are looking at where food gets lost in the field and at the processing plant. With tomatoes, some get damaged on the vine, others get tossed out for not meeting quality standards. Spang said those leftovers, or side streams, are opportunities for upcycling.

    “It’s a material that’s already been cultivated, harvested and processed, so anything you do that’s economically productive means that all the resources embedded in that material, like fertilizer, water and energy, were not wasted in vain,” said Spang, who also directs the Robert Mondavi Institute of Wine and Food Science. “It is a real win-win opportunity.”

    Finding new uses

    The skin and pulp of a tomato contain lycopene, an antioxidant known for its health benefits. Users of the website can visualize where these leftover tomato parts, and its valuable lycopene, are found, helping to imagine new ways to make use of this healthy compound.

    “We expect our primary user to be entrepreneurs who are looking for new business models in upcycling, or who might have an advanced extraction technology to derive value from some of these overlooked materials,” Spang explained. “But producers and growers would also benefit as new revenue streams deliver value up and down the food supply chain.”

    The database will soon include cost estimates and economic variables to help users make more informed decisions. This will allow them to assess factors like how much lycopene is in a byproduct, its value per milligram and the costs associated with extracting it.

    New space for agricultural innovation on campus

    The research project is funded by a grant from the Resnick Agricultural Innovation Research Fund, created by a $50 million gift by Lynda and Stewart Resnick, co-owners of The Wonderful Company. Part of that donation also establishes the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation, currently under construction on campus, that will include a large space for biomass staging and extraction, a process to pull valuable compounds from fruits, vegetables and grain residues.

    Food waste happens, but this work is helping build a food system that wastes less and supports sustainability, which Spang hopes will excite everyone.

    “We have to be a little more creative with our food system,” he said. “We can make our current food system more productive by investigating novel upcycling ideas and processing systems that create more revenue for producers and hopefully deliver more value to consumers as well.” — By Tiffany Dobbyn, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis, tadobbyn@ucdavis.edu

  • Questions about Growing Agave in California?

    Agave may be a slow-growing plant, but the rush to farm the drought-tolerant crop in California has been rapid. Since 2023, agave acreage has quadrupled in the state, from 50 acres to over 200.

    Yessica Fernandez Galicia is a researcher who’s organizing a webinar series to meet the most pressing questions from California agave growers. Photo by Rob Padilla

    With all those new agave farms popping up, more farmers are seeking advice to best care for this hardy succulent. To meet that need, agricultural experts from UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and UC Davis surveyed English-speaking and Spanish-speaking agave growers on their top concerns. So far, they’re received over 50 responses and counting.

    “With this survey, we’ve identified 30 farmers that we didn’t have on our radar before,” said Yessica Fernandez Galicia, a UC ANR and UC Davis agave researcher.

    Growers’ responses focused on many of the same themes: How much should you water an agave plant? Which pests and diseases affect agave? Can you get certified for growing agave sustainably?

    Those survey results have been put to good use. Based on grower input, UC ANR has developed a series of free, virtual webinars about agave, offered every month from August to December. The sessions are open to all, but please register ahead of time:

    Regenerative Agave and Certification — Aug 28, noon-1 p.m.

    Rodrigo Mestas – Agave grower in Jalisco, Mexico. Mestas is the owner of the first Regenerative Tequila Certificate, which was awarded to his business, Tequila Torrente.

    Cooperatives and Collective Action — Sept. 25, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

    Deborah Yashar – Agriculture and food co-op specialist in the California Center for Cooperative Development.

    Agave and Dry Farming Practices — Oct. 16, noon-1 p.m.

    Steve Sanchez – California farmer and consultant who promotes agave and cactus cultivation through sustainable practices and dry farming. Sanchez hosts the podcast Agave & Cactus Talk.

    Cultural Appropriation: The Significance of Maguey and Mezcal to Zapotec People — Nov. 13, noon-1 p.m.

    Fabiola Santiago – Activist, researcher, and cultural entrepreneur, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, and raised in California. Proudly Zapotec, she dedicates her work to defending and preserving Oaxacan culture.

    Photo Caption: Agricultural experts from UC ANR and UC Davis surveyed new and long-time agave growers as the drought-tolerant crop gains popularity in California. Photo by Rob Padilla

    The webinars cover multiple topics, including grower certification and irrigation practices. According to Fernandez Galicia, attendees will leave with economic and environmental takeaways.

    “We are trying to educate people that the agave doesn’t need a lot of water. If you give them a lot of water, they don’t generate the adequate quantities of sugar,” she said.

    That means overwatering could make the agave unusable for commercial products like alcohol or biofuel. Cutting water use also can be a cost-saver and environmentally responsible in this drought-prone state.

    “The principal goal is to encourage practices that care for the earth and make farming more sustainable,” said Fernandez Galicia. — By Caroline Champlin, UCANR

  • Registration Opens for 2026 Farm Robotics Challenge

    The Farm Robotics Challenge, the only collegiate agricultural robotics competition of its kind, is officially launching its 2026 season. Registration is now open for undergraduate and graduate student teams from two-year and four-year colleges and universities across the United States and worldwide.

    The competition tasks students with designing, prototyping and field-testing robotics and AI-driven solutions to tackle real challenges facing modern agriculture. The Challenge is organized by UC ANR Innovate, the innovation arm of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, in partnership with the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS).

    “What makes the Farm Robotics Challenge unique is that students work directly with farmers to identify and solve real problems,” said Gabe Youtsey, chief innovation officer at UC ANR and founder of UC ANR Innovate. “Teams are developing practical solutions growers can put to work, and the hands-on experience prototyping and field-testing prepares students for careers in agricultural technology, while helping address some of the pressing challenges our growers face today.”

    Lead sponsor the Reservoir to award Grand Prize investment

    The Challenge is pleased to announce a partnership with the Reservoir, a leading early-stage venture capital investor and robotics incubator dedicated to accelerating real-world agricultural technology. The Reservoir joins this year as a lead sponsor, bringing with it a commitment to help student innovations leap from concept to commercialization.

    As part of this partnership, the Reservoir will award a $50,000 Grand Prize investment to the winning team. This seed funding goes beyond a traditional competition prize, as it provides a powerful springboard for turning student-built prototypes into market-ready solutions with real agricultural impact.

    “The future of agriculture will be shaped by deep tech innovators who can move quickly from lab to field,” said Danny Bernstein, CEO of the Reservoir. “The Farm Robotics Challenge brings together the kind of early-stage talent we’re eager to back – engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs with the vision to tackle real problems and the grit to commercialize their solutions. By pairing this year’s $50,000 Grand Prize investment with our on-farm incubation and venture support, we aim to help these prototypes evolve into scalable companies delivering breakthrough technologies for growers.”

    Central to the competition is the expectation that student teams work directly with growers to identify prominent issues in agriculture that could be addressed using advanced robotics, AI and automation.

    “With this challenge, teams can target a broad range of agricultural activities, such as planting, weeding, harvesting, pest management and crop monitoring, as well as focused projects in data collection, mapping and on-farm automation,” said Steve Brown, associate director of the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems.

    Teams are encouraged to design and prototype solutions, using robotic platforms equipped with autonomous navigation systems, intelligent algorithms and custom attachments to address real-world agricultural problems. These projects are field-tested, ensuring that they are not only theoretically sound but also practically viable in production agriculture environments.

    Supported by leading technology partners such as Bonsai Robotics, the competition places strong emphasis on innovation, hands-on learning and collaboration with growers.

    “For the past four years, we’ve partnered with UC ANR Innovate and AIFS on the Farm Robotics Challenge because we believe the future of farming depends on the next generation of innovators. There are big problems to solve in how we grow our food, and we want these inventive, engineering minds focused on them,” said Brendan Dowdle, chief business officer at Bonsai Robotics. “Our robotics platform makes it easier to design, test and deploy AI, computer vision and autonomous systems. Every year, we’re inspired by the creativity and technical skill these students bring to the field, and the ideas just keep getting bigger. We can’t wait to see what they build next.”

    Prizes offered as part of multi-phase competition cycle

    The competition unfolds across several stages, beginning with the registration period starting in August, followed by a team formation and proposal research phase through October. Project proposals must be submitted by October 30, 2025.

    Teams then embark on a six-month development and testing phase, culminating in final project submissions due on May 3, 2026.

    The competition concludes with an awards ceremony set for May 20, 2026.

    Participation in the Farm Robotics Challenge offers numerous benefits. The competition will award over $100,000 in prizes across multiple categories, and select teams will be offered travel stipends to showcase their projects at FIRA USA, North America’s leading ag tech conference. Beyond the prizes, all participants gain access to a network of academic and industry professionals dedicated to building the future of farming.

    Throughout the competition, educational webinars will be available to help students stay informed about industry trends, develop entrepreneurial skills and gain valuable insights on topics such as intellectual property, company formation and venture capital financing, presented by experts from Morrison Foerster.

    “We are excited to partner with UC ANR Innovate and AIFS on the Farm Robotics Challenge,” said Michael Ward, co-head of the Morrison Foerster Food and Ag Practice. “To ensure that teams get their industry-changing ideas off the ground, it is critical that they have a solid understanding of the legal issues that arise when launching and growing a startup company in this field.”

    The webinars will feature interactive sessions designed to introduce teams to the legal knowledge needed to start and grow a business, protect their innovations and navigate the challenging regulatory landscape.

    “We will offer free confidential office hours to all competition participants to answer legal questions and provide guidance on moving their ideas into a company and taking steps to commercialization,” said Mitchell Presser, co-head of the Morrison Foerster Food and Ag Practice.

    Throughout the competition, student teams develop practical skills at the intersection of technology and agriculture, expand their professional networks and engage with a distinguished panel of evaluators and innovators.

    Past competitions have featured over 40 teams from across the U.S. and abroad, with previous winners including UC Davis, University of Georgia, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Olin College of Engineering (click to view past results).

    For those interested in participating, prospective teams are advised to assemble members with a range of technical expertise and secure a faculty or staff advisor. The next step is to partner with a grower to identify a meaningful agricultural problem and then design and rigorously test a solution using advanced robotics and AI.

    Comprehensive information, official rules and regular updates can be found on the Farm Robotics Challenge website. You can also register to participate in the Farm Robotics Challenge Info Session Webinar on September 10 at 4 p.m. (PDT).

    New for the 2025-26 academic year is the Farm Robotics Academy, intended for secondary school students. The Academy aims to equip both educators and students with knowledge and skills in leading-edge technologies that are reshaping the agricultural landscape. Learn more at https://www.farmroboticsacademy.ai/.

    Farm Robotics Challenge

    The Farm Robotics Challenge is organized by UC ANR Innovate and the AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems, with lead support from the Reservoir, technology partner Bonsai Robotics, as well as Western Growers, Morrison Foerster, F3 Innovate, Taylor Farms, Beck’s Hybrids, Google.org, the California Tomato Research Institute, Linak U.S., and Plug and Play. The competition challenges college-level teams to identify and solve real-world agricultural problems using advanced robotics technology.

    For more information about the Farm Robotics Challenge, including details on how to participate or sponsor, visit https://farmroboticschallenge.ai.

    UC ANR Innovate

    UC ANR Innovate brings together people, resources and ideas to accelerate agricultural, food and biotech innovation in California. UC ANR Innovate develops practical technologies, generates research and policy insights, prepares a future-ready workforce and builds the ecosystems and partnerships that make innovation possible: locally, regionally and globally.

    The AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems

    The AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems (AIFS) is a USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture-funded research institute leveraging artificial intelligence to solve the world’s biggest challenges to crop and food production: ensuring a sustainable, nutritious, efficient and safe food supply while mitigating the impacts of changing conditions. For more information, visit https://aifs.ucdavis.edu.

    The Reservoir

    The Reservoir is a startup incubator and venture capital fund focused on helping ag tech startups succeed where agriculture happens – in the field. Reservoir Farms is the world’s first on-farm robotics incubator, starting in the Salinas Valley and expanding to other key regions like the Central Valley. Reservoir Ventures backs startups solving real problems in high-value crops. By combining R&D space, hands-on grower input and early-stage capital, the Reservoir helps turn promising ideas into tools for the growers who feed the world. Learn more at https://reservoir.co.

    Bonsai Robotics

    Bonsai Robotics is reimagining the agricultural industry with its AI-first platform that makes autonomous farming affordable, easy to use, and deployable across all farm equipment – whether retrofitted onto existing machines or built into next generation solutions. Its acquisition of farm-ng in 2025 combines its leading, vision-based autonomy software with modular, electric robotics to deliver next-generation machines adaptable for a wide range of crops, tasks and environments. Bonsai empowers growers to monitor and manage all farm equipment – new or legacy, autonomous or not – through a single, intuitive app. Learn more at www.bonsairobotics.ai.

    Morrison Foerster

    Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm, with clients including some of the most innovative companies – from trailblazing startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. Morrison Foerster is the firm for Food + Agriculture, representing stakeholders across the value chain, from scientists in labs optimizing plant genetics, to farmers nurturing crops, to ag tech pioneers revolutionizing farm technology, to CPG companies and global brands selling your favorite foods. With unmatched scientific depth and deep sector knowledge, Morrison Foerster has helped shape the sector for over two decades. For more information, visit www.mofo.com.

    UC Agriculture and Natural Resources brings UC information and practices to all 58 California counties. Through research and Cooperative Extension in agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, economic and youth development, our mission is to improve the lives of all Californians. Learn more at ucanr.edu.

    To read more UC ANR news, visit our newsroom at ucanr.edu/News.

  • Electrical Weed Control (EWC) in Organic Almonds and Blueberries

    Two years ago, I shared my first blog about the Zasso electrical weed control (EWC) unit—a tractor-mounted device powered by the tractor’s PTO. (My first blog about the basic of EWC and unit specifications)

    In spring 2023, we established two organic blocks, one with almonds and one with blueberries, to further evaluate the weed control efficacy and crop safety of the Zasso unit in newly established tree and berry systems. In these trials, we tested different combinations of speed and power to control the total current/energy flowing into the ground. This approach is similar to herbicide trials where we often test at different rates to evaluate crop injury (e.g., 2X, 4X rates). Both experiments included comparisons with standard organic weed control practices such as organic herbicide (Suppress EC), mowing, and hand weeding.

    In the blueberry experiment, we also applied two mulching types (sawdust and plastic), and each plot with different mulching types was treated with all the EWC treatments to evaluate the interactions between these two practices. Since blueberries are planted on berms, we only treated the berm shoulders with EWC (Figure 2).

    Figure 1. Organic blueberry field with three different mulching types as treatments
    Figure 2. EWC treating the shoulder of the sawdust mulching blueberry plot

    2023 Findings

    During the 2023 growing season, all EWC treatments showed promising weed control results. In the almond block, the highest-energy EWC treatment kept the floor weed-free for 35-40 days. In the blueberry block, where we used one drip line (versus two in the almond block), the shoulders stayed dry for most of the summer. After our first EWC application in late May (almond) and early June (blueberry), weed pressure in all EWC-treated blueberry plots remained low throughout the season, with some plots staying weed-free even longer than the same treatment in the almond block. We measured tree height, trunk diameter, and blueberry plant canopy volume, finding no significant differences in plant growth across treatments for either crop.

    Figure 3. EWC in organic almond block

    2024 Focus

    In 2024, we continued measuring growth data and collected soil samples for soil health analysis in both blocks. One of my research goals is to address a key grower concern about this technique by assessing the impact of EWC on soil microbes. While soil physical properties should remain unchanged (due to no soil disturbance), soil microbes—which play a crucial role in nutrient cycling—could be sensitive to electric shocks and surface temperature spikes. Then, we will look at how two years of more than 10 EWC applications will impact weed species distribution.

    Figure 4. EWC untreated (top) and treated (bottom) almond plots in April 2024

    2025 Plans 

    Coming into 2025, we plan to continue the blueberry and almond work on campus and also conduct additional research in growers’ fields and test it out in additional tree crops. We will continue to collect weed control efficacy data on an array of common orchard weeds in California. Lastly, we plan to start an experiment to examine how soil moisture at the time of EWC treatment affects the weed control efficacy and whether there are any effects from different irrigation regimes.

    Figure 6. Equipment testing in non crop area before EWC treatment in organic almond and blueberry at UC Davis.

    Frequently Asked Questions about EWC Technology

    Q: Are there any safety concerns with EWC?

    A: Yes, since this is a high-voltage application targeting above-ground vegetation, the circuit can create arcing and potentially cause fires. The manufacturer requires scouting behind the tractor during applications. Multiple EWC applications and mowing operations over a season leave dead vegetation on the ground, which can easily ignite, especially at higher power settings. We have noticed a seasonal pattern, with more fires occurring in fall than summer, and we are still investigating the causes.

    Q: How does soil moisture affect EWC operation?

    A: Soil moisture is an important factor. Soil that is too wet can cause generator overload by drawing too much energy. In contrast, overly dry soil has high electrical resistance, reducing current flow through plants. Our unit includes a setting to adjust power based on soil moisture, so selecting the right setting is essential for effective application. This is an area of ongoing research in California and with our collaborators in Oregon and New York.

    Q: How do different weed species respond to EWC?

    A: The weed growth stage matters more than species. EWC is effective on most weeds at the seedling stage but start losing efficacy with mature or flowering weeds that are woody or have less tissue moisture because electrical conductance is lower. Grasses can be challenging if they are matured and developed multiple tillers, as central tillers may avoid direct contact with the EWC applicator electrodes.

    Q: How effective is EWC on perennial weeds?

    A: EWC can manage bindweed and yellow nutsedge with multiple applications throughout the season. Regrowth and reemergence can occur if the vegetation does not directly contact with the electrode due to obstacles like soil clumps or overlapping plants. We are running an experiment to quantify perennial weed regrowth and reemergence.

    Q: Is this unit available on the market?

    A: Zasso has partnered with New Holland to bring this technology to the US. Please check out their website https://yellowblueandyou.newholland.com/en-gb/pf-global-2024/xpower-xps to look at the unit for the vineyard (XPower XPS). We will have a vineyard trial in 2025 in partnership with the farm operation and equipment distributor to evaluate the cost-efficiency of EWC in a large scale site.

    Since I have been working and studying this unit for two years, I truly believe it is a valuable option for organic berry and tree fruit and nut production. It can also become an alternative to some of the post-emergent herbicides used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs in sustainable agriculture.

    Our EWC project is funded by USDA NIFA Organic Research and Education Initiative. Please check out our website: https://eorganic.info/node/35946 for interviews and research updates from our collaborators: Moretti Lab at Oregon State University and Sosnoskie Lab at Cornell University. We are testing the same unit but on different crops. We also want to thank New Holland for the tractor support. — By Tong Zhen & Brad Hansen, UC Davis

  • Large Scale Study of Branched Broomrape Control for California Processing Tomatoes

    Branched broomrape is an obligate holoparasite that can attach to a wide variety of agricultural crop hosts, including tomato. It has been reported in numerous California commercial processing tomato fields in recent years and is of growing concern to the tomato industry in the state. In late 2022, a 24c Special Local Need (SLN) label was approved for broomrape management with chemigated Matrix (rimsulfuron). Rimsulfuron is widely used a foliar treatment for broadleaf weed control, and this label addendum allows its use as a chemigated treatment targeting branched broomrape. Small plot field trials with several variations of the rimsulfuron chemigation protocol were conducted in 2023 and 2024 in an infested field near Woodland, CA, that has a well-characterized branched broomrape population. To validate those small plot results, a larger scale demonstration study was conducted in a different branched broomrape infested field located near Woodland, CA, during the 2024 growing season.

    Materials and Methods 

    This trial was conducted within a commercially planted processing tomato crop and treatments included a three-treatment protocol similar to the 24c SLN Matrix label and a four-treatment protocol; both protocols’ applications totaled the annual maximum of 4 oz/A (70 g/ha) rimsulfuron. The field was set up with raised beds with a single 7/8” (22 mm) drip line buried 12” (30 cm) deep in the center of the bed with 0.16 gal hr-1 (0.6 L hr-1) emitters spaced every 12” (30 cm). Individual plots were 1275′ (390 m) long and arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. ‘HM 8237′ tomato transplants were mechanically transplanted with 12” (30 cm) in-row and in-line spacing with two lines on each bed. Chemigation treatments were mixed in a 26 gal (100 L) tank and applications were made into individual beds with an electric pump during the last third of an irrigation set (Figure 1). Treatments were applied according to a days after transplant schedule and are listed in Table 1.

    In the 2024 demonstration study, broomrape emergence was evaluated four times throughout the growing season and tomato yield was collected using a Johnson commercial mechanical harvester (Oxbo, Woodland, CA) and weigh cart equipped with a scale (Figure 2). Tomato yield per 1275; (390 m) plot was collected at commercial maturity on October 2, 2024.

    Results and Discussion

    In the large-scale demonstration study, there was no visual tomato crop injury observed in any of the treated plots (data not shown). Both chemigated rimsulfuron treatments had reduced broomrape emergence versus the nontreated control (Table 2). The control plots had an average of 122 clusters per 1275′ plot, while rimsulfuron applied three times at 1.33 oz/A (22.3 g ai/ha) resulted in 21 clusters per plot and rimsulfuron applied four times at 1 oz/A (17.4 g ai/ha) resulted in 15 clusters per plot (Table 2). There was no statistical difference in broomrape emergence between the two chemigated rimsulfuron treatments and both reduced broomrape by greater than 83% compared to the control (Table 2). Tomato yield ranged from 20,114 lbs (9,143 kg) to 20,473 lbs (9,306 kg) per 1275′ plot and there was no significant difference between rimsulfuron-treatments and the control (Table 2). Given the significant reduction in broomrape emergence with both chemigated rimsulfuron treatments and saleable fruit yield that was comparable to the control plots, these results could encourage growers to adopt the 24c rimsulfuron protocol as a preventive treatment in fields at-risk of branched broomrape infestation. This research was supported by funding from the California Tomato Research Institute and the CDFA Specialty Crops Block Grant Program and we would like to acknowledge our generous grower cooperator for farming and harvest support. — By Matthew Fatino, Brad Hanson, Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Davis

    Figure 2. Commercial tomato harvester and weigh cart harvesting full-bed (1275 ft long) plots

  • UC Davis Enters New International Strawberry Licensing Agreements

    The University of California, Davis, has reached new agreements to license more than a dozen of its world-renowned strawberry varieties to growers in countries across the world.

    The agreements ensure that nurseries and fruit growers in Mexico, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East have access to all available varieties developed by the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.

    Strawberry plant varieties developed at UC Davis produce about 60% of all strawberries consumed around the world.

    UK-based Global Plant Genetics, or GPG, will add 15 legacy varieties of UC Davis strawberry plants to its existing portfolio in China, South America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. GPG, which has been a UC Davis master licensee since 2018, already oversees licensing of a dozen of the more recently developed UC Davis varieties in those markets.

    Fresa Fortaleza, or F2, is the new master licensee for the legacy varieties in Mexico. Since 2020, the San Diego-based company has been the master licensee in Mexico for the more recently developed UC Davis varieties.

    Earlier this year, UC Davis severed ties with former master licensee Eurosemillas as to these legacy varieties.

    “We are pleased to have expanded our agreements with GPG and Fresa Forteleza,” said Helene Dillard, dean of the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. “We appreciate the shared commitment to maintaining outstanding relationships with our nurseries and growers and providing vigorous support for the UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program.”

    The new agreements cover:

    • The European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom
    • Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay
    • China
    • Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Turkey.

    The UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program seeks to address the needs of growers by developing strawberries for positive characteristics including greater yield, flavor, disease resistance, and adaptation to different growing conditions. The university directly licenses strawberry varieties to nurseries in Canada and the U.S. and offers California strawberry growers a competitive advantage through exclusive access to new varieties for two years and reduced royalty rates.

    The program, funded primarily by revenue from licensing strawberry varieties, also trains students and postdoctoral researchers to be leaders in the field.