Positions

Research Areas research areas

Overview

  • I joined UNH in 2004, and am currently Professor of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in the Department of Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems and a researcher with the NH Agriculture Experiment Station. Prior to 2023, I held a split appointment as Extension Specialist in Sustainable Horticulture. Before coming to UNH, I worked as a plant geneticist and lettuce breeder with the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Salinas, California. I developed an appreciation for plants and agriculture on a highly diversified farm in Vermont.

    My program takes an integrated approach to research & extension activities that focus on high-value specialty crop production & methods of extending the growing season for NH farmers. I am particularly interested in researching strategies to minimize production costs and ecological impacts, while producing economically viable yields of high-quality crops. Recent projects have focused on identifying new crops, cultivars and production practices, including season extension technologies, that expand opportunities for vegetable and berry production in northern New England.

    • Selected Publications

    Academic Article

    Year Title
    2023 A Field Survey of Syrphid Species and Adult Densities on Annual Flowering Plants in the Northeastern United States..  Environmental Entomology.  52:175-182. 2023
    2021 Albion Strawberry Responds to Mulch Treatments and Low Tunnels Covered with Photoselective Films.  Hortscience.  56:1005-1014. 2021
    2021 Winter Survival and Second-year Spring Yields of Day-neutral Strawberry Are Influenced by Cultivar and the Presence of Low Tunnels.  Horttechnology.  31:77-88. 2021
    2020 Colored Bell Pepper Yields from Cultivars Grown in High Tunnels in Northern New England.  Horttechnology.  30:456-462. 2020
    2019 Low Tunnel and Cultivar Effects on Day-neutral Strawberry Yield and Characteristics in New Hampshire.  Horttechnology.  29:795-+. 2019
    2018 Yield and Soluble Solids Content of Winter-grown Spinach in Unheated High Tunnels in New England.  Hortscience.  53:638-645. 2018
    2016 Carotenoid Concentration and Composition in Winter Squash: Variability Associated with Different Cultigens, Harvest Maturities, and Storage Times.  Hortscience.  51:472-480. 2016
    2016 Genetic Variation for Thermotolerance in Lettuce Seed Germination Is Associated with Temperature-Sensitive Regulation of ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 (ERF1)..  Plant Physiology.  170:472-488. 2016
    2016 In-Season and Carry-Over Effects of Cover Crops on Productivity and Weed Suppression.  Agronomy Journal.  108:1624-1635. 2016
    2015 'Rambling Rose': A Pink-fruited Cherry Tomato for Hanging Basket Production.  Hortscience.  50:1255-1256. 2015
    2015 Performance of Sweetpotato Cultivars Grown Using Biodegradable Black Plastic Mulch in New Hampshire.  Horttechnology.  25:412-416. 2015
    2015 Effects of Living Mulch and Fertilizer on the Performance of Broccoli in Plasticulture.  Hortscience.  50:218-224. 2015
    2015 Performance of High Tunnel Tomato Cultivars in Northern New England.  Horttechnology.  25:139-146. 2015
    2014 Production of Bulbing Onion Overwintered in New Hampshire with Protection by Low Tunnels.  Horttechnology.  24:655-662. 2014
    2014 Characterization and Performance of 16 New Inbred Lines of Lettuce.  Hortscience.  49:679-687. 2014
    2014 Evaluation and QTL mapping of resistance to powdery mildew in lettuce.  Plant Pathology.  63:344-353. 2014
    2012 Survival and Yields of Fall-planted Winter Sprouting Broccoli Grown in High Tunnels for Spring Harvest in the Northeastern United States.  Horttechnology.  22:345-352. 2012
    2010 SM09A and SM09B: Romaine Lettuce Breeding Lines Resistant to Dieback and with Improved Shelf Life.  Hortscience.  45:670-672. 2010
    2008 Rowcovers improve winter survival and production of Western trailing 'Siskiyou' blackberry in the Eastern United States.  Horttechnology.  18:575-582. 2008
    2007 Variation for Resistance to Verticillium Wilt in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)..  Plant Disease: an international journal of applied plant pathology.  91:439-445. 2007
    2006 Characterization of Race-Specific Interactions Among Isolates of Verticillium dahliae Pathogenic on Lettuce..  Phytopathology: International Journal of the American Phytopathological Society.  96:1380-1387. 2006
    2005 Comparative genetic analysis of field resistance to downy mildew in the lettuce cultivars ‘Grand Rapids’ and ‘Iceberg’.  Euphytica: international journal on plant breeding.  142:205-215. 2005
    2005 Genetic analysis and mapping of resistance to lettuce dieback: a soilborne disease caused by tombusviruses..  Theoretical and Applied Genetics: international journal of plant breeding research.  110:259-268. 2005
    2004 GENETIC ANALYSIS OF RESISTANCE TO LETTUCE DROP CAUSED BY SCLEROTINIA MINOR.  Acta Horticulturae.  49-55. 2004
    2004 Identification of germplasm with genetic resistance to drop caused by Sclerotinia minor.  Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science.  129:70-76. 2004
    2003 Characterization and genetic analysis of a lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) mutant, weary, that exhibits reduced gravitropic response in hypocotyls and inflorescence stems..  Journal of Experimental Botany.  54:1259-1268. 2003
    2003 Romaine lettuce (Lactica sativa L.) breeding lines with resistance to lettuce dieback..  Hortscience.  38:627-628. 2003
    2001 QTL mapping of fruit-related traits in pepper (Capsicum annuum).  Theoretical and Applied Genetics: international journal of plant breeding research.  102:1016-1028. 2001
    2001 Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with tolerance to cucumber mosaic virus in Capsicum annum.  Theoretical and Applied Genetics: international journal of plant breeding research.  102:1213-1220. 2001
    2000 Identification and comparative mapping of a dominant potyvirus resistance gene cluster in Capsicum.  Theoretical and Applied Genetics: international journal of plant breeding research.  101:852-859. 2000
    2000 New Source of Resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in Capsicum frutescens..  Plant Disease: an international journal of applied plant pathology.  84:885-891. 2000
    2000 Genetic mapping of the Tsw locus for resistance to the Tospovirus Tomato spotted wilt virus in Capsicum spp. and its relationship to the Sw-5 gene for resistance to the same pathogen in tomato..  Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions.  13:673-682. 2000
    2000 Comparative genetic analysis of disease resistance within the Solanaceae.  Genetics: a periodical record of investigations bearing on heredity and variation.  155:873-887. 2000

    Chapter

    Year Title
    2017 Rowcovers 2017

    Conference Paper

    Year Title
    2012 Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Environmental Factors and Weed Suppression.  Hortscience. S332-S333. 2012
    2012 Temperature Moderating Effects of Low Tunnels Over Winter in Cool Climates.  Hortscience. S404-S405. 2012
    2010 Evaluation of 11 Cultivars of Sprouting Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L.) for Potential as an Overwintering Crop for High Tunnels in New England.  Hortscience. S99-S99. 2010
    2010 Growing Winter Sprouting Broccoli in New England.  Hortscience. 480-480. 2010

    Principal Investigator On

  • Organic High Tunnel Sustainability  awarded by University of Minnesota 2023 - 2027
  • Northeast Arugula Team (NEAT)  awarded by Pennsylvania State University 2023 - 2025
  • Advancing Strawberry Production in the Northeast  awarded by University of Vermont 2020 - 2023
  • Northeast SARE  awarded by University of Vermont 2020 - 2023
  • Development of Hybrid Pumpkin and Squash Varieties  awarded by Hybrid Seed Co New Zealand 2017 - 2023
  • Hybrid Pumpkin&Squash Varities  awarded by Hybrid Seed Co New Zealand 2017 - 2023
  • Cold-Hardy Hydrangea Cultivars  awarded by NH Dept of Agriculture Markets & Food 2020 - 2022
  • Identifying Cold-Hardy Hydrangea Cultivars for Cut Flower Production and Sales in New Hampshire  awarded by NH Dept of Agriculture Markets & Food 2020 - 2022
  • Ecologically-Based Pest Management Strategies to Improve Quality and Yield of Brassica Crops  awarded by University of Massachusetts 2018 - 2021
  • High Tunnel Mangement  awarded by University of Vermont 2015 - 2019
  • Improving Nutrient and Pest Management in High Tunnel Tomato Production  awarded by University of Vermont 2015 - 2019
  • Optimizing Protected Culture Environments for Berry Crops  awarded by Michigan State University 2014 - 2019
  • Table Grape Cultivars and Training Systems for New Hampshire  awarded by NH Dept of Agriculture Markets & Food 2015 - 2017
  • Potassium Management and Soil Testing in High Tunnel Tomato Production  awarded by University of Vermont 2014 - 2016
  • Expanding Winter Harvest and Sales for New England Vegetable Crops  awarded by University of Massachusetts 2010 - 2014
  • Feasibility of Using Existing Greenhouse Structures to Increase Production of Winter Vegetables and Herbs  awarded by NH Dept of Agriculture Markets & Food 2011 - 2013
  • Winter Sprouting Broccoli as an Alternative Tunnel Crop in New England  awarded by University of Vermont 2009 - 2011
  • Sweetpotatoes in Northern New England  awarded by N.E. Vegetable & Berry Growers Association 2007 - 2008
  • High Tunnel Production of Colored Bell Peppers in New England  awarded by N.E. Vegetable & Berry Growers Association 2005 - 2006

    • Investigator On

    Teaching Activities

  • ANFS Seminar Taught course
  • ANFS Seminar Taught course
  • Green Thumb Workshop Taught course
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course
  • Urban Agriculture Taught course 2024
  • Green Thumb Workshop Taught course 2023
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2023
  • Investigations Taught course 2022
  • Doctoral Research Taught course 2022
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2022
  • Investigations Taught course 2021
  • Doctoral Research Taught course 2021
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2021
  • Doctoral Research Taught course 2020
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2020
  • Investigations Taught course 2019
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2019
  • Investigations Taught course 2018
  • Investigations Taught course 2018
  • Field Experience Taught course 2017
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2017
  • Field Experience Taught course 2016
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2016
  • Field Experience Taught course 2016
  • Field Experience Taught course 2015
  • Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc Taught course 2015
  • Field Experience Taught course 2014
  • Investigations Taught course 2014

    • Education And Training

  • B.A. Biological&Biomedical Sci.Rel., Dartmouth College
  • Ph.D. Plant Breeding, Cornell University

    • Full Name

  • Rebecca Sideman

    • Mailing Address

  • University of New Hampshire

    Department of Agriculture, Nutrition & Food Systems

    211 Kendall Hall

    Durham, New Hampshire  03824-2617

    United States