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Tangerines and mandarins from a UC Riverside research botanist

Tangerine or mandarin: What's in a name?

Botanically speaking, there is no such fruit as a tangerine. Botanists say mandarins got the nickname years ago when they were shipped to the United States from the Moroccan port city of Tangiers. Produce importers called them tangerines and the name stuck. Now, the fruit is called tangerines or mandarins interchangeably. Mandarin is the botanical name used throughout the world. Mandarins are the parent trees for today's oranges whereas most think it was the other way. Scientists continue to develop new mandarin varieties.

Golfers may benefit from farmers' technology

Farmers have been using technology to filter water draining from their fields for years. Now, agricultural research scientists are working on procedures to filter water draining from golf courses. One method that shows promise is attaching filter cartridges to drainage pipes or water retention pond outlets to keep pollutants from reaching streams. The scientists hope to also help industrial plants purify their used water.

Californians can vote for the next 'Happy Cow'

Super Bowl viewers in California will have a chance to vote for their favorite "Happy Cow" this year. The California Milk Advisory Board plans to air TV commercials of the bovine finalists vying for the opportunity to join the board's long-running ad campaign. Viewers can cast their ballots online. California is the leading producer of mozzarella cheese, which is a key ingredient in pizza, a favorite food of Super Bowl viewers. That prompted the California Milk Advisory Board's commercial plan.

Nutrients support bone health

A new study suggests that natural pigments found in plants may help protect against bone loss in older men and women. Tufts University personnel in Boston did the study. Over four years, fruit and vegetable intake shows some level of protection against bone density loss at the hip in men and the lumbar spine in women. Apples, tomatoes and watermelon are some foods with large quantities of beneficial compounds.

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