The University of California’s impact on agriculture is visible in many everyday foods found in grocery stores across the United States. Through research and development, UC campuses have contributed to the creation and improvement of a wide range of produce and agricultural products.
Mandarins such as Cuties and Wonderful Halos originated at UC Riverside, where scientists spent two decades developing seedless varieties like the Tango mandarin. This innovation increased revenue for farmers and made mandarins a popular snack. Other citrus fruits, including the Gold Nugget mandarin and Oro Blanco grapefruit, also come from UC Riverside breeding programs.
Strawberries are another example. The UC Davis Public Strawberry Breeding Program has released more than 70 varieties over seven decades, turning strawberries into a year-round crop in California. Today, strawberry varieties developed at UC Davis account for about 60 percent of strawberries consumed globally.
UC has also played a role in avocado development. The Luna avocado, recognized by Time magazine in 2023 for its qualities and shelf life, is expected to reach supermarkets soon. Jose Antonio Aguilera, partner at Jaliscavo, said: “It’s the perfect combination for planting. Luna exponentially increases the productivity of Hass, and vice versa.” Other avocados like Lamb and Gem were also developed by UC Riverside.
In tomato production, innovations from UC Davis changed harvesting methods in the 1950s. Plant breeder Jack Hanna and engineer Coby Lorenzen created both a mechanical harvester and a new tomato variety tough enough for machine picking. Their work paved the way for nearly all U.S.-grown processing tomatoes used today.
Wine production benefits from research as well. Professor Harold Olmo at UC Davis developed Chardonnay grapes that now dominate California vineyards and support an $88 billion wine industry.
Almonds are now California’s second-most valuable crop after dairy due to discoveries about pollination made by UC researchers following crop failures in the 1920s. Ongoing work at UC Davis addresses disease threats while students at UC Merced develop ways to reduce dust during almond harvests—a concern for rural communities.
Nearly all American pistachios—99 percent—are grown in California. A recent DNA mapping project led by UC Davis enables breeders to develop better pistachio varieties that can withstand drought conditions.
The walnut industry also owes much to UC Davis’s Walnut Breeding Program, which has produced over 20 cultivars used on most farms statewide.
Asparagus growers use varieties such as the high-yielding, disease-resistant UC 157 developed at UC Riverside.
UC Davis Foundation Plant Services supplies rose cultivars nationwide with one of the largest virus-tested collections available to nurseries and growers.
On gluten-free wheat development, researchers at UC Davis have engineered wheat without alpha-gliadin proteins—the component responsible for celiac disease reactions—while maintaining breadmaking quality.
Peach breeding efforts at UC have supported growers for nearly a century by developing new public varieties suited to California’s Central Valley climate.
Looking ahead, University of California researchers continue supporting agriculture through advances like big data-driven farming practices and climate-resilient crops such as flood-resistant rice already deployed in South Asia. Their ongoing efforts aim to ensure food security amid changing environmental conditions.
