Locally inspired research is at the core of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station and it can be sparked in many ways. This past spring, the manager of the Station's Farm Services unit approached me with a question: After a conversation with a New Hampshire dairy crop consultant who had recently read about NHAES scientists conducting studies using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), could a similar approach be used to determine whether it's possible to identify fungal diseases more precisely and earlier in the season for brown midrib (BMR) corn—varieties that are more digestible and can lead to higher production in dairy cows but can be particularly susceptible to fungal diseases, which are notoriously prevalent in New England's humid late summer and early autumn?

Russ Congalton and Ben Fraser (NH Agricultural Experiment Station scientists), Peter Davis and Aaron Palmer (UNH Farm Services), Carl Majewski (UNH Extension), and Tom Beaudry (crop consultant) assessing drone imagery of UNH corn fields.

After a few conversations and mutual excitement about the project, a team of collaborators assembled: NHAES scientists who conduct geospatial research, UNH Farm Services staff who manage agricultural crop production for UNH research and teaching animals, a UNH Extension field crop production specialist, and a crop consultant who works with dozens of dairy farmers across New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

Last week, I had the privilege of joining one of the team's meetings, where they were assessing UAV images and discussing early insights from the data. It was great to be able to watch the discovery magic happen in real-time, as each person brought their distinct expertise and experience together to share, learn and move this applied research forward. We'll be sharing more about this project (including more technical details) as it continues to build.

Locally inspired, impactful science is at the root of possibility. Thank you for your continued support of the Station's mission to support New Hampshire’s lives, livelihoods and landscapes!

Anton Bekkerman

Director, NH Agricultural Experiment Station

Harvest Time at UNH Farms!

As the harvest season peaks, researchers with the NHAES and their teams are busy gathering, measuring and storing crops from their research projects across the Kingman Research Farm and Woodman Horticultural Research Farm. Clockwise from top right: At Woodman, undergraduate students collect sweetpotatoes; kiwiberry vineyard manager Logan Duncan inspects freshly picked kiwiberries; graduate student Radhika Rani harvests grapes; and undergraduate student Sharon McDougall gathers tomatoes. At Kingman, cucurbit program team members Ella Lukacz ’24 and Jeff Anderson collect and weigh pumpkins.

Estrogen in Clover?



NHAES researchers Rich Smith and Andre Brito, along with UNH doctoral student Palash Mandal, found that drought conditions double phytoestrogen levels in red clover, a key animal feed crop in New England. Increased phytoestrogen in cow diets may contribute to fertility issues, costing U.S. dairy farms millions annually. However, kura clover—a drought-resistant alternative—maintains low phytoestrogen levels under similar low precipitation conditions. This discovery could help farms maintain productivity despite uncertain climate patterns. Discover how this research could improve dairy farm sustainability.

Lessons from Rain and Snow

As New England's land transitions from forests to farmlands and back again, NHAES scientists at UNH are studying how these changes impact nitrogen cycling and ecosystem health. Led by Station scientist Adam Wymore, this long-term study revealed that while some nitrogen types are declining, levels of dissolved organic nitrogen are rising, posing significant implications for New Hampshire's ecosystems. These changes, linked to human activities and climate, could affect water quality and plant growth. Explore how these findings could shape the future of our region’s ecosystems.

• UNH research shows how carbon might move around in New England forests as climate change continues – NHPR
• UNH gourd breeders turning out new varieties – The Eagle-Tribune
• UNH: Climate change impact on forests may be less than expected – Concord Monitor
• Harvest time: pumpkin and squash innovation at North America's longest-running breeding program – FreshPlaza.com
• Forests are more resilient to change than we thought – Earth.com
• UNH research: Climate change impact on forests may be less than expected – Granite Geek
• New research reveals climate change impact on Northeastern forests may be lower than expected – MSN.com
• Another thing we’ve changed: Nitrogen deposition in New England rain and snow – Granite Geek
• New Hampshire researchers develop framework to assess effects of heat waves – Aquaculture North America
• Researchers create new way to measure the impacts of marine heatwaves – SeafoodSource.com
• Best Radicchio Varieties for New England Farmers – USDA NIFA
• Optimizing Lumpfish Rearing – Aquaculture Magazine
• UNH finds drought boosts clover's phytoestrogen – Farms.com
• Rare forage crop could solve dairy cows' $484m fertility problems – DairyReporter.com
• Study Shows Dairy Farmers Open to Methane-Reducing Seaweed Feed – NutriNews.com

Support the NHAES and Subscribe to Our News Channels

Please consider supporting future agricultural, food and natural resources research and innovation at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station with a charitable gift.

Want more news and information from the NHAES? Sign up for our NHAES News – and get notified each time we publish new articles highlighting our research (approximately twice a month). Know someone who might be interested in signing up to receive Station Science? Send them our newsletter sign-up webpage.