Welcome to University of California Agronomy Research and Information Center
Delivering scientific, research-based information, resources, education, and on-line tools on California agronomic crops to growers, researchers, industry professionals, governmental agencies, and the general public.
Fact Sheets
Informative resources available to the public
Agronomic Crops in California

News, Updates & Blogs
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Virtual Field Day March 24th
Added March 1, 2021The University of California Cooperative Extension and theColusa County Resource Conservation District are...
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Geese Damage to Small Grain Fields
Added February 22, 2021Growers frequently celebrate the presence of wildlife in their alfalfa and grain fields, providing valuable habitat as well...
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Unwelcome Grazers: Geese Sweep in and Strip Alfalfa and Grain Fields Bare
Added February 20, 2021Growers frequently celebrate the presence of wildlife in their alfalfa and grain fields, providing valuable habitat as well...
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Considerations for choosing the right medium grain rice variety
Added February 16, 2021With planting season coming up, thinking about appropriate variety selection is key, and one of the first steps towards...
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Access California Weather Data with New Interactive Website
Added February 1, 2021Weather patterns are highly variable across the state of California. They change from year to year and across locations....
For more blogs on specific commodity, please visit:

California Fertilization Guidelines
Nitrogen Management in California Agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program

History of Agronomy at the University of California

What is Agronomy?

Agronomy Progress Reports
Archive & Numbering Request

Alfalfa
Alfalfa production occurs over about 1,000,000 acres throughout California, with the highest-producing regions in Imperial County and the San Joaquin Valley.

Beans
California farmers grow mainly four classes of dry beans — limas (99% of U.S. supply), common beans, garbanzos, and cowpeas — on about 50,000 total acres.

Bio-Fuels/Bio-Energy
Imported corn and sorghum are currently used to produce bio-fuel in California. However, canola, camelina, sugar beets, and sorghum offer promise as a basis for in-state production.

Corn
Corn is grown on nearly 600,000 acres in California, primarily in the Central Valley. It is mainly used for silage and grain, with a small specialty crop market comprised of sweet corn, corn nuts and popcorn.

Cotton
Uses for cotton fibers range from heavy industrial to fine fabrics. California cotton grows mainly in the San Joaquin Valley on 200,000 to 300,000 acres.

Oil Seeds
Safflower is the primary oil seed grown for oil in California. Sunflower hydrid seeds are grown and exported for oil production. Canola and camelina are showing promise as new oil seed crops.

Rice
California rice is grown primarily in the Sacramento Valley on approximately 550,000 total acres. Mostly high quality medium grain rice is produced as well as some other specialty rice varieties.

Small Grains
Small grains are an important rotation crop in California and include wheat, barley, oats and triticale planted on over 800,000 acres. Wheat is the predominant California small grain crop.

Sorghum
Sorghum is being rediscovered as a valuable rotational crop and forage that can help California meet future water needs, specialty food markets, and potentially as a renewable fuel crop.

Sugar Beets
California sugar beet production began in 1870 and beets have been produced in nearly all agricultural areas. Beets are now grown only on about 25,000 acres in the Imperial Valley.

Wild Rice
In California, wild rice has been grown commercially since the 1970s and is planted in cultivated paddies where yields range from 1200 to 2000 lb/ac.
General question for the Agronomy RIC?
Email us at AgronomyRIC@ucdavis.edu