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Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station

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New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station

The NHAES uses science to help overcome some of the biggest challenges across diverse communities.

The New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES) has remained an elemental component of New Hampsire's land grant university heritage and mission, since before UNH was created here in Durham. The initial mandate to the novel system of state agricultural experiment stations was to undertake research of importance to agriculture for New Hampshire, New England, and the nation. With expanded

statutory directives, and in response to the evolving needs of our many stakeholders, we now steward federal and state funding to provide unbiased and objective research concerning diverse aspects of sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, forest management, and related wildlife and natural resources.

05/21/2026

UNH research indicates that accurately predicting atmospheric carbon must consider multiple tree root factors.

It may come as a surprise, but the soil under our feet generates a lot of the atmospheric carbon above our heads. Tree roots are a major source of carbon dioxide released, contributing between 40%-60% of all soil respiration. Understanding how roots respond to environmental changes is essential for assessing the potential impacts of soil carbon on climate.

For 15 years, NHAES researchers gathered data that measured how much carbon dioxide tree roots were emitting in the Harvard Forest. They made separate plots so that they could compare different factors: control, heated (with buried cables), nitrogen added and heated with nitrogen added.

A study led by NHAES scientists Serita Frey and Thomas Muratore highlighted the complexity of the situation, as different tree species, oak and maple, responded quite differently to the changes in their environment.

Forest composition likely represents an important variable for root respiration, as different tree species will contribute more or less carbon as conditions change. Also, a combination of factors such as warmth and nitrogen addition leads to effects that differ from those produced by either factor alone.

This research and more soil studies are featured in the Spring 2026 issue of Inspired, which will be available soon. Full story and Inspired webform are linked in comments!

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Ag Is America

05/15/2026

Happy strawberry month of May! 🍓

(To be frank, the New Hampshire strawberry harvest doesn’t actually begin until later in June, but any reason to treat yourself to some sweet strawberries is a good one.)

UNH researchers have made significant contributions to our understanding of strawberry genetics. It’s far from an easy task: strawberries are octoploid, meaning they have eight sets of chromosomes instead of the two found in humans and most mammals.

UNH scientists have assembled the complicated genomic sequence and studied how it varies from plant to plant, and they are applying that knowledge to strawberry breeding.

Their goal is to develop strawberry plants that thrive and produce high quality fruit in New Hampshire to meet the unmet demand for locally grown berries. They are also working on producing attractive ornamental varieties for home gardens and landscapes.

05/08/2026

First day out on the pasture! Safe to say they’ve been waiting for this all winter. 🤍🌱

05/06/2026

Helping oysters endure winter in dry storage is just one part of the survival puzzle.

When spring arrives, oysters must come out of dormancy and transition back to their marine environment in order to grow through the summer.

At the Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, researchers like Kaila Frazer are studying how to make that transition easier as oysters readapt to life under water. 🦪

UNH Research UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture Association of Public and Land-grant Universities UNH School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering

04/30/2026

A spring day at the UNH Equine stables. 🌸🐴

04/27/2026

We’re excited about a new addition to our farm equipment family at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station: a new T6.180 Methane Power tractor, which will support the management of UNH agricultural research fields.

We are very grateful to CNH Industrial for their generous donation of the tractor, with special appreciation to George Rigdon of CNH, Andrew Henry of Champlain Valley Equipment (St. Albans, VT), and Peter Davis of UNH Farm Services for bringing this new piece of equipment to UNH.

The T6.180 Methane Power tractor has the same power, torque, and durability as its diesel counterpart, but with an estimated 30% reduction in running costs and up to 10-15% reduction in C02 admissions. The partnership with CNH highlights NHAES’s commitment to sustainable operations and innovation for sustainable food production.

The entire UNH Farm Services team is excited to take the new tractor out and provide insights about their experience to farmers around New Hampshire and the region.

Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

04/24/2026

We had a great day at the 54th annual Macfarlane Research Greenhouses Open House!

Thank you for all those who attended and presented at the event.

Thankful for our research community. 🤍

Picture Credit: Kate Wilcox

04/22/2026

Winter losses can significantly damage oyster farms. UNH researchers are working on solutions. 🦪

Oyster farmers in New Hampshire can lose more than half of their oysters during the winter months. UNH researchers Easton White and Brittany Jellison are collaborating to investigate exactly why so many Granite State oysters never live to see spring and what can be done to improve their chances and boost farming profitability.

White and Jellison are investigating a key trait of winter oysters: they slow their metabolic processes to near zero. That makes it possible for them to survive on dry land and provides an opportunity to improve their winter survival rates away from the dangerous icy coast.

The team, including graduate students Kaila Frazer and Maggie Dillon, is studying the biology of dormant oysters and what dry storage methods provide the best conditions for them to survive the long winter months.

Their findings are highly relevant to the fast-growing oyster industry.

“We have observed winter mortality rates ranging from a ‘best-case’ of 25% to as high as 80%, which can effectively wipe out a year of work,” says Joe Rankin, who runs Hidden Cove Shellfish in Little Bay.

“This is why the research being done is vital. By keeping oysters in a controlled environment for four months, we can protect them from threats like extreme temperatures, predation, biofouling, and ice.”

Read full story, link in the comments.

UNH Research Association of Public and Land-grant Universities UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture

04/16/2026

New Tools to Support Collaborative Marketing for Growers and Farmers:

Collaborative marketing models can improve market access and reduce marketing burdens for farmers and growers, but they bring with them operational and relationship challenges.

Research led by Analena Bruce provided the insights needed to develop resources to help agricultural communities work together to market and sell local foods.

Find ideas that can be applied to real-world collaborative marketing efforts. Read more at the link in comments.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

04/14/2026

The 54th annual 2026 Macfarlane Research Greenhouses Open House, is happening this weekend! Stop by anytime between 9am - 3pm on April 18 in Durham, NH.

Tour the greenhouses and learn about the ongoing horticulture and crop research taking place there. Meet with NH Agricultural Experiment Station researchers and UNH Extension education specialists, and explore our state-of-the-art research greenhouses.

The day will also include presentations and question and answer sessions by NHAES researchers and Extension specialists.

Additionally, Portsmouth, NH-based food pantry Gather NH will provide lunch. A scavenger hunt for kids will provide an opportunity to learn about how greenhouses work and what makes agricultural research so special.

We hope to see you there!

04/10/2026

The University of New Hampshire has secured nearly $2 million in federal funding to renovate and enhance the Macfarlane Research Greenhouses and create a new Center for Excellence in Education and Discovery for Plant Science (CEED Plant Science).

The appropriation, spearheaded at the federal level by New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, will improve UNH’s work to develop cutting-edge research in plant management and train the next generation of innovators to support the greenhouse industry in the Granite State.

The UNH Macfarlane Research Greenhouses complex is both a beloved fixture on the UNH campus and a hotbed of research activity, typically supporting upwards of 20 to 30 research projects every year. But much of its infrastructure dates back to the 1940s.

The renovation will replace antiquated greenhouse structures with a new, state-of-the-art greenhouse and include redesigned and renovated shared lab spaces and equipment, a learning classroom, and renovated operation staff support spaces.

Despite the Northeast facing fast-growing weather-related risks to its $21 billion agricultural industry, the region has seen the least greenhouse expansion in the U.S. over the past decade.

CEED Plant Science will help generate knowledge and expertise to help grow New Hampshire’s greenhouse production and strengthen its agricultural sector resilience while positioning the state as a regional leader in agricultural innovation and discovery.

Read the full story, link in the comments.

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Association of Public and Land-grant Universities U.S. Department of Agriculture

Address

46 College Road
Durham, NH
03824

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	8:30am - 4:30pm

Website

https://linktr.ee/nh_aes

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