Citrus sinensis, dubbed the Sweet Mother Orange Tree, is the oldest living orange variety in California. California Citrus Clonal Protection Program at UCR received this as a budwood in 1925 and successfully cloned in 2003. After vigorous testing for diseases, the variety is now being propagated at UCR and protected for future generations.

ABA is a hormone plants produce during dry spells to signal water retention. In collaboration with other institutions, UC Riverside scientists have modified this system pathway to design a biosensor to signal the presence of diverse chemical classes, including synthetic cannabinoids.