The latest edition of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station’s INSPIRED magazine reports on station research into horticulture management and the potential impacts to New Hampshire of growing new crops in the region and using new tools and practices in the growth and harvesting of favorite New England crops. The second edition of INSPIRED will be available for digital download on July 27; readers can also sign up to have a print copy mailed to them for free.
“In our latest issue, we’ve highlighted some of the groundbreaking horticulture science taking place at your New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station,” said Anton Bekkerman, director of the NH Agricultural Experiment Station. “Inside, you’ll find horticultural research on topics ranging from using genomics to develop new crops for the New Hampshire region to testing alternative management approaches for strawberries, eggplants, tomatoes, and figs, to name a few. We’re incredibly excited to share this research with you.”
Research presented in the report includes:
- The history of UNH’s kiwiberry program and how kiwiberries could be the next fruit cash crop.
- The history of strawberry genetics research at UNH and growing New England-hardy organic and ornamental strawberries.
- Best table grape training systems and cultivars for New Hampshire.
- Management practices for growing figs in cold climates.
- Adapting local, wild weeds into cultivatable crops for New England.
- Best Brussels sprout cultivars for New Hampshire.
- Using a natural seafood byproduct as a biopesticide against diseases affecting fruit trees.
- Best eggplant varieties for growing in high tunnels in the region, as well as pruning and postharvest storing techniques.
- Pruning strategies for tomatoes grown in high tunnels in the region.
- An examination of wood fiber mixtures used as substrates in potted plants.
The authors of the 2022 INSPIRED Horticultural Research Report include NH Agricultural Experiment Station scientists and UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture faculty, staff, students and alumni, UNH Extension staff, and agricultural researchers from other extensions and academic institutions. The digital version of the latest edition of INSPIRED will be available online.
For more information:
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
www.extension.unh.edu