From the Station Director
|
|
This year, there will be 20 new NHAES research projects, many of which will be conducted by scientists who have not conducted Station research in the past and will now be applying their world-class expertise to overcome locally inspired challenges and help identify locally impactful opportunities. From determining the potential of agroforestry to increase local food production while also improving the health of our state's forests, to using duckweed for managing nutrient levels in New Hampshire's abundant waterways, to developing diverse tools for managing insects across Granite State's farms, it's exciting to see the breadth of science of these projectsâand to envision the benefits of them in the coming years. I look forward to sharing these innovations with all of you!
Thank you for supporting our efforts to improve the lives of our state and region!
|
|
Director, NH Agricultural Experiment Station
|
|
Most people havenât heard of Toxoplasma gondii (or âToxoâ for short), but nearly one out of four Americans likely carries this single-celled parasite, as do petsâespecially catsâand domesticated agricultural animals. While Toxo normally remains in a dormant but incurable state, immunocompromised individuals and infants born to infected mothers are at highest risk of developing toxoplasmosis, leading to symptoms ranging from extended periods of flu-like discomfort to more severe cases that can cause damage to the brain, eyes, and other organs. Vicki Jeffers, an assistant professor in the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, recently published research looking at the role of a protein found in Toxo that, by regulating, could prevent infections caused by the parasite. Read how Jeffers' Toxo findings will help to inform her research with the NHAES.
|
|
The NHAES-operated Kingman Research Farm is just one part of UNHâs robust composting program, which began in the mid 1990s. The operation starts in UNHâs dining halls, where the emphasis is on reducing the overall waste streams, before the compostable waste is processed via a pulper, delivered to Kingman and cooked for about a year before the resulting nutrient-rich material is spread across research fields at UNH farms. Read about UNH Dining initiatives that help reduce overall pre- and post-consumer waste streams.
|
|
While lobster and scallops tend to get much of the attention as the regionâs most popularânot to mention the most valuableâshellfish, a close third is likely something you havenât seen in your local grocery store very often, if at all: the channeled whelk. Thatâs because international demand, as well as the shrinking of other regional fisheries like lobster, has diminished channeled whelk fisheries in its native habitatâthe Atlantic seaboard from Massachusetts down to Floridaâresulting in stricter size and trap limits and, in some states, the temporary closing of fisheries. Research associate professor Elizabeth Fairchild, an NHAES scientist, is leading research into methods of making whelk fisheries more sustainable. Learn which other key marine speciesâin addition to the channeled whelkâwill also benefit from Fairchild's research.
|
|
More Station News & Notes
|
|
Save the Date: NHAES Farm Tours
|
|
For more than a decade, the NHAES research farm facilities have participated in the Durham Farm Day eventâa celebration of agriculture in the NH Seacoast. This year is no different, and you are invited to join the NHAES on Saturday, August 19. Organized tours will occur at the Woodman Horticultural Research Farm and the UNH Sawmill, and the Fairchild Research and Teaching Dairy will be open for self-guided walkthroughs. More details coming soon!
|
|
The seedless table grape research program, led by Station scientist Becky Sideman, has continued to create new knowledge to help New Hampshire grape growers. Now, a collaboration between UNH Extension and the NH Winery Association is seeking to update their information about how many grapes, what varieties, and where these grapes are grown around the state. This information will not only help inform extension specialists about the current landscape of the industry, but will enable NHAES scientists to better target their research. If you are growing grapes for any use (table, wine, juice) commercially, please take a moment to provide your information.
|
|
Follow NHAES on social media:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|