California Ag Network

Tag: Climate Change

  • Wheat That Makes Its Own Fertilizer

    Scientists at the University of California, Davis, have developed wheat plants that stimulate the production of their own fertilizer, opening the path toward less air and water pollution worldwide and lower costs for farmers.

    The technology was pioneered by a team led by Eduardo Blumwald, a distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Sciences. The team used the gene-editing tool CRIPSR to get wheat plants to produce more of one of their own naturally occurring chemicals. When the plant releases the excess chemical into the soil, the chemical helps certain bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen from the air into a form the nearby plants can use to grow. That conversion process is called nitrogen fixation.

    The study was published online in Plant Biotechnology Journal.

    In developing countries, the breakthrough could be a boon for food security.

    “In Africa, people don’t use fertilizers because they don’t have money, and farms are small, not larger than six to eight acres,” Blumwald said. “Imagine, you are planting crops that stimulate bacteria in the soil to create the fertilizer that the crops need, naturally. Wow! That’s a big difference!”

    The breakthrough in wheat builds on the team’s earlier work in rice. Research also is underway to extend this technology to other cereals.

    Worldwide, wheat is the No. 2 cereal crop by yield and takes the biggest share of nitrogen fertilizer, using about 18% of the total. Globally, more than 800 million tons of fertilizer were produced in 2020 alone, according to figures from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

    But plants take up only about 30 to 50% of the nitrogen in fertilizer. Much of what they don’t use flows into waterways, which can create “dead zones” that lack oxygen, suffocating fish and other aquatic life. Some excess nitrogen in the soil produces nitrous oxide, a potent climate-warming gas.

    The work-around: Protect the fixer

    Nitrogen-fixing bacteria produce an enzyme called nitrogenase, the “fixer” in nitrogen fixation. Nitrogenase is only located in the bacteria, and it can only work in environments with very little oxygen.

    Legumes such as beans and peas have root structures, called nodules, that provide a cozy, low-oxygen home for nitrogen-fixing bacteria to live.

    Unlike legumes, wheat and most other plants don’t have root nodules. This is why farmers use nitrogen-containing fertilizer.

    “For decades, scientists have been trying to develop cereal crops that produce active root nodules, or trying to colonize cereals with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, without much success. We used a different approach,” Blumwald said. “We said the location of the nitrogen-fixing bacteria is not important, so long as the fixed nitrogen can reach the plant, and the plant can use it.”

    To find a work-around, the team first looked at 2,800 chemicals the plants produce naturally. They found 20 that, among other jobs useful to the plant, also stimulate bacteria to produce biofilms. Biofilms are a sticky layer that surround the bacteria and create a low-oxygen environment, allowing nitrogenase to work. The scientists determined how the plant makes those chemicals and which genes control that process.

    Then, the team used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to modify wheat plants to produce more of one of those chemicals, a flavone called apigenin. The wheat, now with more apigenin than it needs, releases the excess through its roots into the soil. In experiments they conducted, apigenin from the wheat stimulated bacteria in the soil to create the protective biofilms, allowing nitrogenase to fix nitrogen and the wheat plants to assimilate it.

    The wheat also showed a higher yield than control plants when grown in a very low concentration of nitrogen fertilizer.

    Farmers could save billions

    Farmers in the United States spent nearly $36 billion on fertilizers in 2023, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. Blumwald calculates that nearly 500 million acres in the U.S. are planted with cereals.

    “Imagine, if you could save 10% of the amount of fertilizer being used on that land,” he pondered. “I’m calculating conservatively: That should be a savings of more than a billion dollars every year.”

    Other authors include Hiromi Tajima, Akhilesh Yadav, Javier Hidalgo Castellanos, Dawei Yan, Benjamin P. Brookbank and Eiji Nambara.

    A patent application has been filed by the University of California and is pending. Bayer Crop Science and the UC Davis Will Lester Endowment have supported the research.

    Read about the earlier work of the Blumwald team to develop rice that can stimulate its own nitrogen fertilizer here. — By Trina Kleist, UC Davis

  • Flower Losses Due to Shrinking Habitats and Climate Change Hurt Prime Pollinators

    Without enough sugar in their diets, bumblebee queens can experience difficulty reproducing and shorter lifespans.  Hollis Woodard, assistant professor of entomology at UCR, has conducted multiple studies showing how loss of plant availability negatively affects the prolific pollinators. Previous research indicates a queen’s diet can impact how quickly her brood develops, or whether she’s able to live through hibernation.

    In a study published recently, Woodard and her team demonstrate that without adequate sugar, the queen’s fat body, which functions like a human liver, does not correctly produce enzymes required for healthy metabolism and detoxification from pesticides.

     

    “The fitness consequences of not producing enough of these enzymes, P450s, could ultimately be lethal, preventing reproduction or shortening lifespans,” Woodard said. “If you don’t outright kill a queen, but she can’t lay eggs, from a population standpoint you might as well have killed her.”

     

    Woodard’s team wanted to focus its research on bumblebee queens because they undergo an event called diapause, which is like hibernation. Queens gather an abundance of nutrients just before diapause, as it is likely one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.

     

    A queen’s ability to survive this period is not guaranteed without adequate nutrition. However, the team also wanted to know about the sublethal effects. “We wanted to ask if other signs of distress might be detectable in advance, and whether there are molecular signs queens might not make it through diapause,” Woodard said.

     

    The research team collected queen bumblebees of varying ages and fed them one of four diets ranging from no sugar to extremely concentrated sugar. They found queens in the oldest age group, roughly 12 days old, who were fed the most sugar, began to exhibit gene expression patterns consistent with the beginning of diapause. This suggests queens may have an internal mechanism to detect the amount of stored sugar in their bodies, Woodard said. By extension, it means there may be a way to detect in advance when queens do not have enough sugar to survive diapause, or for their fat bodies to produce enough enzymes to protect them from damaging pesticides.

     

    This research underscores the importance of bumblebee food resources, which have been dwindling in recent years due to habitat loss. “There are studies showing gaps in floral availability late in the season before diapause, when queens most need food,” Woodard said.

     

    In addition to habitat loss reducing bumblebees’ preferred plants, climate change may also be taking a toll. As winters become warmer, queens may emerge earlier from diapause in winter when fewer flowers are available to them. Their physiology becomes uncoupled from the seasons, making it less likely that they survive, or that their nests will be successful.

     

    Many bumblebee species are declining, which could eventually have consequences for the human diet. Bumblebees, unlike honeybees, are native to the U.S. and perform a type of pollination essential for some of humans’ favorite foods, such as tomatoes, blueberries, potatoes and almonds.

     

    Therefore, Woodard believes every effort must be made to ensure bumblebees, especially queens, have enough flowers to feed on. “It’s important for everyone from land managers to people with gardens to plant things bumblebees can feed on,” she said. — By Jules Bernstein, University of California, Riverside

  • Rominger Brothers Farms Receives CA Leopold Conservation Award

    Rick Rominger (left) and Bruce Rominger (right) – Photo by Paolo Vescia

    Rominger Brothers Farms of Winters has been selected as the recipient of the 2019 California Leopold Conservation Award®. Sand County Foundation created the Leopold Conservation Award to inspire American landowners by recognizing exceptional farmers, ranchers and foresters. The prestigious award, named in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, is given in 20 states.

    The award is presented annually by Sand County Foundation, Sustainable Conservation and the California Farm Bureau Federation. Rominger Brothers Farms, Inc. of Yolo County received $10,000 and a crystal award at the California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Monterey today.

    The farm and rangeland owned and managed by Bruce and Rick Rominger represents a community they love, respect, share with others and protect in perpetuity. They grow diversified crops – including wine grapes, processing tomatoes, rice and hay – in ways that protect the environment, using a full toolbox of stewardship practices and partnerships. This includes planting miles of hedgerows to benefit important pollinators like bees, restoring over 5,000 feet of stream corridors to connect riparian areas and wetlands to aid a variety of species, and managing irrigation water on their rice fields to boost declining shorebird populations.

    Photo Credit: Paolo Vescia

    The Romingers have long been recognized leaders for their adaptability and innovation while overcoming regulatory challenges that, together with their conservation goals, enhance their business. Community service and outreach round out the leadership character of Rominger Brothers Farms.

    “It’s an honor to even be considered for the Leopold Conservation Award, and an even greater honor to win it, especially considering all the accomplished past winners,” said Bruce Rominger. “We are humbled to be part of that list of distinguished recipients. We love what we’re doing and believe what we’re doing improves our part of California in meaningful ways for the future. To have the Leopold Conservation Award associated with our farm is a tremendous privilege.”

    “California’s environment and communities are facing some big challenges – with the effects of climate change in particular on full display with yet another round of megafires across the state this year,” said Ashley Boren, Executive Director of Sustainable Conservation, which has co-sponsored the award since its launch in California in 2006. “The Rominger brothers have spent three decades evolving their farm into a model of sustainability and climate resiliency. Their extraordinary list of accomplishments includes pioneering the use of water-wise drip irrigation, planting miles of hedgerows to benefit important pollinators, and restoring and reconnecting streams and wetland habitats – all of which helps their farm and the multitude of species that call it home endure in a changing climate.”

    “We are honored to join Sand County Foundation and Sustainable Conservation to recognize the extraordinary efforts of California farmers and ranchers who go above and beyond in managing and enhancing our natural resources,” said Jamie Johansson, California Farm Bureau Federation President. “The Leopold Conservation Award recognizes innovative and replicable strategies that our farmers or ranchers utilize to manage their land and natural resources.”

    Verwey Farms (Philip & Shelly Verwey, Frank & Kathy Cardoza, and Brent & Camberia Verwey) – Photo by Paolo Vescia

    Among the many outstanding landowners nominated for this year’s award were two finalists.  Philip Verwey Dairy, Hanford (Kings County) is a first-generation dairy whose philosophy for every management decision is: take care of the people, take care of the animals and take care of the environment on and around the farm. Their commitment to innovation and continuous improvement is evident with their 10-acre covered lagoon manure digester that generates renewable electricity that powers the farm, on-farm wells and their local community. This enables generating clean, renewable energy for two electric-powered feed mixing stations that significantly reduces the use of diesel fuel and harmful air emissions. A five-acre solar array currently being built will help the farm attain its future goal of becoming carbon-neutral.

    Rosie and Ward Burroughs and family at farm in Denair CA – Photo by Paolo Vescia

    Burroughs Family Farms in Denair (Stanislaus County) is this year’s other finalist. Rose Marie and Ward Burroughs along with their family are co-owners of five diversified, sustainable farms that produce organic almonds, beef, chicken and eggs, dairy, olives, hay and more. Exceeding organic standards, the family continually refines and enhances their systems to reduce water use and improve soil fertility. This system prioritizes biodiversity, and seeks to replenish groundwater aquifers, as well as enhance watershed and ecosystem health, while supporting their growing and diverse family enterprises.

    The 2018 recipient was Lundberg Family Farms, an organic rice and quinoa farm in Butte and Humboldt counties. The Leopold Conservation Award is made possible thanks to generous contributions from Farm Credit, The Harvey L. & Maud S. Sorenson Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, McDonald’s and California Leopold Conservation Award alumni. For more information on the award, visit www.leopoldconservationaward.org.

    Photo credit: California Farm Bureau Federation

  • Reflections on Earth Day and the Role of Farmers and Ranchers

    Sacramento, Calif., (April 30, 2018) – As Earth Day was celebrated, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I am to have grown up on a farm with a dad who inspired me with his love for the land.  His life-long curiosity led him to constantly look at new and innovative practices to steward natural resources and improve the care of his cow-calf herd.  His particular passion for the soil led to decades of work with USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS, which was still called Soil Conservation Service at that time). It came from his growing up in western Nebraska during the Depression and the Great Dust Bowl years.  He often described the curtains of dirt that darkened the skies and drove people and animals to shelter.  He watched too much precious top soil blow away.

    My dad, like his father and grandfather before him, wanted to leave the land – pastures and cropland – better than he found it for his children and the generations to follow. That commitment lives on in my brother, Dan Barrett, the current steward of our family farm. Dan is the fourth generation.  A farmer’s farmer.  He has worked hard to bring the farm into agronomic balance, and he has been in the NRCS Conservation Stewardship Program for about ten years. He was identified as a leader for his soil health and wildlife-friendly practices. He has successfully incorporated conservation rotational grazing and cover crops to bring what he terms “liveliness to the soil”. He is also one of the kindest people I know!!

    That long-term generational view held by our family, a passion for stewardship of the land and its natural resources, is what it means to be in farming and ranching.  I see it every day in California agriculture.  That love of the land fuels my passion  to connect the stewardship actions of our 76,000-plus family farmers and ranchers to the public benefits created for the forty million Californians who make this special place their home.  That care for the land, in addition to the nutritious bounty that we grow in California, makes our state a better place to live!  It has never been more important to understand and support the potential of working landscapes to address climate change, and the essential role of private landowners in making it happen.

    While California agriculture is already being impacted by climate change, Ag is also key to mitigating climate change. California’s Climate Change Investments have resulted in multiple incentive programs to facilitate climate adaptation strategies and the implementation of practices to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and sequester carbon.  Significant investments are being made on farms and ranches to improve manure management and reduce methane emissions; to increase water, fertilizer and energy efficiency; to replace older equipment and dirty engines; to protect croplands and rangelands at risk of conversion and the generation of more GHG emissions; to utilize waste biomass to generate renewable energy; and to sequester carbon to reduce GHG emissions and improve soil health, thus enhancing climate and drought resiliency and productivity.   Ultimately, these climate smart agriculture investments will ensure the continued economic viability of California agriculture and its role in sustaining food security.

    As recent coverage of how soil can be managed to sequester carbon and be a solution to climate change creates a buzz for what is possible on working landscapes, I want to thank my Dad and honor his memory for his love of the land.  Truly, he and generations of farmers and ranchers are important caretakers of our planet Earth.

  • Climate Change in the Southern Hemisphere: Irrigation Efficiency and Other Adaptations in Chile

    Sacramento, Calif., (December 5, 2017) – Irrigation efficiency, water conservation and water management are three terms that resonated over and over as we visited specialty crop farms and talked to water managers during our ongoing visit to Chile. These are important issues that Chile and California share, given that both counties have recently experienced historic droughts with significantly reduced snowpacks and greater reliance on groundwater.

    Delegation members Jeff Creque of the Carbon Cycle Institute and Paul Robins of the Monterey County Resource Conservation District check out some Chilean soil.

    We visited an avocado grower who pumps water approximately 1,600 feet up steep slopes with electrical water pumps for a highly efficient drip irrigation system. With little rain in the San Felipe region (north of Santiago), using efficient irrigation technologies like those incentivized in CDFA’s SWEEP program are critical to ensuring agricultural food production in this region.

    Providing growers with access to an adequate water supply is a priority shared south of Santiago, as well. A water management agency in the Cachapoal River-area supplies approximately 100,000 acres of agricultural land with water and is investing in cloud seeding to stimulate additional precipitation. The government of Chile is also participating in this project and is assisting this agency and others in an effort to maintain water deliveries not only to agriculture, but to other sectors such as mining and urban areas.

    Irrigation efficiency and water management are supported through innovative education pathways in Chile. We visited a high school that focuses on teaching its students about irrigation and public/private partnerships. They get hands-on experience with renewable energy use and water pump improvements. Understanding these technologies and providing growers with human resources and expertise to operate efficient irrigation systems is critical to future food production.

    Secretary Ross with Chilean avocado grower Gonzalo Bulnes.

    We also saw that if a grower selects the right plant variety, greater on-farm water efficiency can be achieved. A company we visited called SubSole has planted newer varieties that produce double the yield with half the water use. The company produces specialty crops like table grapes, avocados, kiwis, cherries and pomegranates and has invested heavily in  sustainability and food safety programs to provide a high level of environmental and social responsibility certifications to buyers and consumers. SubSole uses very little nitrogen fertilizer for its table grapes because it has built organic (carbon) content in soil through the addition of compost and mulching; management practices that will soon be incentivized in CDFA’s Healthy Soils Program.

    The delegation visited Escuela Agricola El Carmen De San Fernando, a high school providing irrigation instruction among other courses.

    Many specialty crops farms in Chile are supported by agronomic experts from the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA). INIA is a government supported organization whose work is similar to the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Cooperative Extension Services. These extension services are critical to ensuring growers have the right expertise as they invest in efficient irrigation systems and technologies to combat climate change events. What we have learned so far is that Chile is very similar to California and it is working hard to adapt to a changing climate through investment in specific technologies, education and outreach activities.

    Secretary Ross is in Chile this week for an exchange on climate change adaptation. Joining her in the delegation are representatives from the agricultural, academic and policy sectors.

  • The Social Cost of Carbon Doubles

    Davis, Calif., (November 28, 2017) – The “social cost of carbon” — an influential figure used by policymakers to weigh the value of efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions — is outdated and underestimated. Updated estimates focused on the agricultural sector alone more than double the social cost of carbon, according to analysis from the University of California, Davis, and Purdue University.

    The social cost of carbon represents the damage a ton of additional carbon dioxide will have on society and the economy, including agricultural productivity, human health, property damage due to flooding and energy costs.

    The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, show that for every additional ton of carbon dioxide emitted, the global economy loses between $3.50 and $8.50 due to effects in the agricultural sector, rather than gaining $2.70 as previously estimated. This leads the overall social cost of carbon to increase from $8.60 per ton of CO2 to between $14.80 and $19.70, an increase of 72 to 129 percent.

    Climate change not a benefit to agriculture

    Previous estimates were based on data from the 1980s and 1990s that suggested the short-term benefits of increased CO2 emissions on plant growth would benefit agriculture. The updated estimates show that climate change has an overall negative effect on agriculture.

    Impacts of temperature change on yields of four major crops. (Courtesy UC Davis)

    Researchers analyzed more than a thousand published estimates of how crop yields from four global staples — wheat, rice, maize and soybean — respond to changing climate conditions.

    The study found that higher temperatures have a negative effect on yields of all crops in almost all locations. For example, temperature increases of 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) result in average yield losses of 11 percent for maize and 26 percent for wheat. These are only partially offset by the benefits from higher CO2 concentration, leading to net yield losses from climate change.

    “The very early studies tended to show that the effects of warmer temperatures were not very severe and would be more than compensated by the beneficial effects of higher carbon dioxide concentrations,” said lead author Frances Moore, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at UC Davis. “Over the last few decades, as more work has gone into understanding how climate change might affect crop yields, science has found that hot temperatures themselves have large negative effects on crop yields.”

    The study modeled the economic consequences of those yield losses in order to estimate the social cost of carbon. The authors found that a temperature increase of 2 C would result in economic losses of roughly 3 percent of the current value of the agricultural sector in sub-Saharan Africa and China, 2 percent in the United States, 11 percent in Central America, 9 percent in the Middle East and 2 percent in Western Europe.

    One small part

    “Agriculture is a small part of the global economy, so it’s surprising that when we put this all together, the social cost of carbon for the whole economy actually doubles,” said co-author Thomas Hertel, Purdue University distinguished professor of agricultural economics. “It makes you wonder about the other pieces.”

    The National Science Foundation provided partial support to Purdue University for this study.

    Impacts of temperature change on yields of four major crops. (Courtesy UC Davis)

  • Climate Change Will Cut Cereal Yields, Model Predicts

    Davis, Calif., (May 18, 2017) – Climate change will likely cause wheat and barley yields to decline by 17 to 33 percent by the end of the century, predicts a new statistical model developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis, and Cornell University.

    The study, based on 65 years of weather records and wheat and barley yield data from France, provides some of the first evidence of the negative effects of warming on wheat and barley yields in Western Europe. The findings are reported online in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

    The study is of particular importance because wheat is the most widely grown crop in the world and, along with rice, one of the top two sources of calories for human consumption.

    “This is not to be interpreted as saying that yield will decrease regardless of any technological improvements that may be made in the future,” said co-author Matthew Gammans, a UC Davis graduate student working with Professor Pierre Mérel in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

    “It does suggest, however, that climate change will lessen the rate of any yield improvements that will be achieved by technological advances,” Gammans said.

    New statistical model for climate impacts

    The new model, developed by Gammans, Mérel and Cornell economist Ariel Ortiz-Bobea, is one of the first flexible statistical models applied to wheat and other cereal crops. Model flexibility, allowing for extremely high or low temperatures to have very different effects than the average temperature, is important in understanding the true effects of temperatures on yields. This model was developed from data spanning 1950 to 2015.

    The newly published study focused on three major crops: winter wheat, winter barley and spring barley, all of which are primarily watered by rainfall, rather than being irrigated. The winter crops are planted in the fall, lying dormant through the winter and then growing during spring and summer. Spring barley is planted in spring and grows through summer.

    Key predictions

    Based on the historical weather and yield data, the new model predicted that by the end of the century:

    • Yields are projected to decrease by 21 percent for winter wheat, 17.3 percent for winter barley and 33.6 percent for spring barley under the most severe warming scenario.
    • The negative impacts of increased heat during climate warming won’t be offset by a decrease in extreme cold temperatures during winter.
    • Possible increases in rainfall would help mitigate the effects of heat stress but would not be sufficient to offset the negative impacts of warming temperatures.

    The model did predict that if technological improvements continue on their current trajectory, they could offset most of the negative effects of climate change. Such improvements could include new heat-tolerant crop varieties and improved farming methods.

    “We now want to explore what role adaptation to climate change will play in mitigating negative impacts on yields of wheat, barley and other cereal grains,” Gammans said.

    Agricultural data for this study was made available by the French Ministry of Agriculture.

     

  • Impressions of a Vast, Dry Continent – Climate Smart Agriculture Mission To Australia

    Sacramento, Calif., (March 29, 2017) – New South Wales: On this day we left Canberra at 7am and traveled south and west to what is known as “irrigation country.” The scenery reminds me of a drive from Sacramento to Ione (Amador County). Our stops included a visit

    Representatives of LandCare provide an overview of their regional work with a map of New South Wales.

    with representatives of Coleambally Irrigation, a farmer-owned co-op. The district encompasses 491 irrigated farms producing rice, wheat, corn, cotton, barley, soy beans, canola, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. We received an on-the-ground look at water reforms, featuring a system that runs on solar power and includes broadband communications. Water orders can be met within 2 hours and there is precise regulation of flows, precise measurement, and automated water accounting.

    We saw first-hand that farmers here have embraced solutions beyond water management. LandCare is a grass-roots conservation program that partners with landholders to plant trees, foster biodiversity, capture soil moisture, and protect waterways. The program connects students, families and retirees to natural resources through community events. Cost share funding for restoration projects comes through federal and state government grants.

    LandCare has expanded its focus to include community engagement events to address increasing mental health issues in rural farming communities. The social aspect of land stewardship is a critical component of healthy communities and shows the true value of resource management and restoration on the land.

    As we continue our work in California to adapt to climate change and manage our way through a drought that, believe it or not, is still with us, there is much to learn in Australia. The country endured its own epic drought from 1995-2012 and has developed strategies for sustainability that are the reason for our visit.