J. Brent Loy, professor emeritus of plant biology and genetics, and a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station, was honored at a special twilight celebration Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, recognizing his 50 years of research and innovation at the University of New Hampshire.

Serita Frey, professor of soil microbial ecology at the University of New Hampshire and a researcher with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station, has been named one of the most highly cited researchers in the world, a prestigious distinction earned by fewer than 0.1 percent of scientists globally.

J. Brent Loy’s cucurbit breeding program at the University of New Hampshire, largely funded by the NHAES, represents the longest continuous squash and pumpkin breeding program in North America. The 54 varieties of melons, squash, gourds and ornamental pumpkin released by UNH during the past 15 years have had a major impact on agriculture in the Northeast. In 2014, the wholesale value of cucurbit seed marketed from varieties with UNH parentage was more than $2 million. The value of farm produce derived from those varieties would be several fold that of seed sales.

University of New Hampshire scientists have conducted the first study of oyster farming-nitrogen dynamics in New Hampshire, providing the first solid research on the state’s oyster farming industry and the role oyster farms play with nitrogen removal. The research, which was funded in part by the NH Agricultural Experiment Station, contributes to a growing body of research on how oysters affect the nitrogen content of estuaries such as Great Bay.

New Hampshire growers interested in adding spinach to their winter crop production soon will have additional information to help them select which varieties to grow and when to plant, thanks to a research project underway at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station’s Woodman Horticultural Research Farm.

Organic dairy cows fed kelp meal produced less methane for part of the summer grazing season, according to researchers with the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of New Hampshire. Based on these initial and other promising results, scientists will expand their studies to look at how kelp and other seaweeds impact animal health and methane emissions of organic dairy cows in New England.

J. Brent Loy, professor emeritus of plant biology and genetics, and a researcher with the NH Agricultural Experiment Station (NHAES), has been awarded the 2015 Vegetable Breeding Working Group Award of Excellence by the American Society of Horticultural Science.

Presented since 1992, the award recognizes breeding programs that have had a significant impact on the vegetable industry within the past 20 years by providing salient basic information and/or cultivar or germplasm releases.

Freshwater streams and rivers naturally clean up some forms of pollution originating from urban and agricultural areas, but increased storm intensity reduces this ability, which underscores the need to improve the management of nonpoint sources of pollution and storm water management.

Why did you decide to become a university researcher?

I have always had an interest in biological questions and mechanisms, but initially thought that I would go into industry. When I was a technician at MSU. I interacted with the graduate students and postdocs and thought that I could do this type of work, research. Since my PhD days, I have found that I had a flair for the experimental and like to tackle challenges.

What are your current areas of research?