California's Specialty Crops Face Persistent Chill Insufficiency Threatening Production
A recent study highlights the increasing challenge of chill insufficiency affecting California's specialty crops, such as walnuts, pistachios, cherries, and plums. The research indicates a significant rise in interannual variability of chill accumulation since the late 1990s, alongside a long-term decline in mean chill levels. This trend poses a risk to the optimal development of these crops, which require specific chilling conditions to thrive. The study utilized data from the USDA-NASS and ECMWF forecasts to assess chill sufficiency across various regions in California, particularly focusing on southern areas where chill insufficiency risks are more pronounced. The findings underscore the need for innovative approaches like Speed Breeding and genomic tools to develop climate-adapted cultivars that can withstand these changing conditions. 
