Aug 18, 2025UC Davis grad student wins thousands for almond research
Graduate student Aileen Salas has won the Milton D. and Mary M. Miller Plant Science Award, granting her $3,000 for her almond research. Salas is a part of the horticulture and agronomy graduate group, based in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.
“I grew up surrounded by agriculture, especially almonds,” said Salas, who is from Fresno, California. “Each spring, almond trees blossom in Fresno and are celebrated in annual trail events, where people admire the beauty of active orchards. Now, I could contribute to that same industry through research.”
The Miller Award supports students interested in careers with the University of California’s Cooperative Extension (UCCE) program, as well as scientists already active in UCCE. Candidates are chosen based on how much their research will advance the university’s agricultural mission.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” Salas added. “It will greatly support my ongoing research as a master’s student.”
Salas’ project aims to optimize efficiency in almond harvesting and carry out pest control.
>In her first project, she studies how climate and orchard management impact almond ripening. Salas develops protocols on how to use ACC, an amino acid crucial in the production of ethylene, the gas that makes fruits ripen.
She will use her grant money to cover the costs of new in-field sensors to monitor nuts over time. She also plans to closely collaborate with almond growers, attending and contributing to Extension activities.
“My research could open doors to earlier harvests and help almond growers reduce the number of nuts left on the trees,” Salas said. That, in turn, would boost profits.
Salas’ early harvest research also could help minimize the threat of the navel orangeworm, a major pest in almond production. Navel orangeworms dig into unripe almond nuts and eat the meat inside before they can ripen, ruining the crop.
Salas works in the department’s Tree Systems Lab<. There, she is co-advised by Giulia Marino, an associate professor of Cooperative Extension in the department and the UC Presidential Chair for Tree Nut Genetics; and Paula Guzmán-Delgado, a professional researcher in the lab.
“Aileen is becoming a well-rounded tree physiologist, deepening her understanding of almonds and other perennial crops,” Marino said. “Her research is vital, as growers face the pressure of climate change. We envision her working for the California Extension system, using her knowledge in service of local growers.”
Before coming to UC Davis, Salas graduated from California State University, Fresno. Almonds are one of Fresno’s top crops, bringing in $1.4 billion in 2021 alone, according to the Fresno County Farm Bureau.
“Aileen’s project is a great example of how research can best translate into orchard management and benefit agriculture in the Central Valley,” Guzmán-Delgado said.
The Milton D. and Mary M. Miller Plant Science Award grants between $2,000 and $5,000 to select candidates every year. For more information about the award or to apply, contact Kelly Paglia, advisor supervisor for the Department of Plant Sciences, at kpaglia@ucdavis.edu.
Grace Fruto, UC Davis
