Diets lacking fiber are linked to health concerns such as colon cancer and heart diseases, but Americans only consume 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. One way to increase fiber consumption is to produce wheat varieties that contain more fiber.

Farmers gather to see new research in beef, alfalfa and small grains

When it comes to agricultural research, there’s nothing like seeing it in action to learn how it fits on your farm. That’s why farmers, ranchers, crop advisers and many others gathered at UC Davis on a recent sunny day in May to attend field days focused on beef, alfalfa and small grains.

UC Davis wheat geneticist Jorge Dubcovsky and his team have identified a gene that enables resistance to a new devastating strain of stem rust, a fungal disease that is hampering wheat production throughout Africa and Asia and threatening food security worldwide.

Plant scientist wins a UC Davis Innovator of the Year Award

Dubcovsky is a world-renowned wheat breeder and wheat geneticist whose recent innovation has greatly accelerated the study of gene function in wheat. His laboratory developed a gene capture tool and used it to sequence most wheat genes in a collection of 2,700 mutant lines.

New $9.7 million grant funds search for wheat-yield genes.

Increasing wheat yield rapidly enough to meet population growth has been a challenge for wheat breeders. An international research project, headed by plant geneticist Jorge Dubcovsky, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, is using new technology to identify the wheat genes that impact yield.

UC Davis research studies look at the impact of climate change and what can be done to mitigate the damage.