UC Davis plant research could save farmers billions of dollars while fighting climate change

Long-lasting drought and increasing production costs have been putting California farmers to the test this year. One of the biggest expenses for a farmer is fertilizer. In just the past year, the price for nitrogen-based fertilizer has doubled due to supply issues. Despite the steep cost, fertilizer is a necessary expense for farmers in order to ensure that their crops produce enough food to feed growing demand. But nitrogen fertilizers also pose significant environmental threats.