UC Davis Team Launches Research Into Virus Susceptibility and Genetics of Agave
Investigating Agave: Scientists Studying Emerging Crop
Quick Summary
- Members of the UC Davis team went to agave harvests in Yolo and Santa Barbara counties late last year to collect plant material and take samples to be analyzed back on campus.
- Agave samples were also collected on a field visit in Huron, California.
An interdisciplinary team of scientists and researchers from University of California, Davis, are studying agave plants in the Golden State as farmers are turning to the crop as a potential drought-tolerant option of the future.
The research is centered on studying agave genetics, virus susceptibility, pest control, soil management and crop productivity, said Ron Runnebaum, a viticulture and enology professor who is leading the team of researchers at the newly formed UC Davis Agave Center.
“As more and more people are planting, it’s important for us to be engaging with growers to inform the expansion of planting,” Runnebaum said. “We’re fortunate UC Davis has a lot of the expertise from other crops that can be adapted to the emerging industry needs in California.”
The goal of the UC Davis Agave Center is to organize researchers, staff and students around the growing fields of study and education needs of agave growers, processors and distillers.
Full article: https://caes.ucdavis.edu/news/investigating-agave-scientists-studying-emerging-crop