In the Noah’s Ark of citrus, caretakers try to stave off a fruit apocalypse

It has been described as a Noah’s Ark for citrus: two of every kind.

Spread over 22 acres, UC Riverside’s 113-year-old Givaudan Citrus Variety Collection was founded as a place to gather and study as many citrus specimens as possible — right now, the inventory numbers at over 1,000. It’s an open-air temple where innovations in irrigation, fertilization, pest control, breeding and more have allowed California’s iconic $7-billion citrus industry to thrive for over a century.

When the trees blossom, or hang heavy with fruit of almost every conceivable shape...