A headshot of Becky Sideman, COLSA researcher

Rebecca Sideman

Professor
Department Chair
Phone: (603) 862-3203
Office: Kendall Hall, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
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.

Courses Taught

  • ANFS 997: ANFS Seminar
  • ANFS 999: Doctoral Research
  • SAFS 403: Green Thumb Workshop
  • SAFS 405: Sustainabl Agric & Food Produc
  • SAFS 760: Insect Pest Management
  • SAFS 795W: Investigations

Education

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

Research Interests

  • Agriculture
  • Horticulture
  • Plant Breeding
  • Plant Genetics
  • Plant Sciences
  • Sustainable Agriculture

Selected Publications

  • Simko, I., Mamo, B. E., Cantu, S. L., Peng, H., Sideman, R. G., Hayes, R. J., & Subbarao, K. V. (2025). Integrative path modeling and QTL mapping identify maturity, stem strength, and cell wall composition driving lettuce resistance to Sclerotinia minor.. Sci Rep, 15(1), 19824. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-03775-1

  • Sideman, R. G., Hamilton, G., & Orde, K. (2025). Cultivar and Training System Impact Cold-climate Seedless Table Grape Performance in the Northeastern United States. HortScience, 60(3), 278-286. doi:10.21273/hortsci18272-24

  • Pierre, J. F., Jacobsen, K. L., Wszelaki, A., Butler, D., Velandia, M., Woods, T., . . . Rudolph, R. E. (2024). Sustaining Soil Health in High Tunnels: A Paradigm Shift toward Soil-centered Management. HortTechnology, 34(5), 594-603. doi:10.21273/horttech05460-24

  • Hodgdon, E. A., Conner, D. S., McDermott, L. G., Pritts, M. P., Handley, D. T., Orde, K. M., & Grube Sideman, R. (2024). A Current View on Strawberry Production Practices and Trends in the Northeastern United States and Canada. HortTechnology, 34(5), 574-584. doi:10.21273/horttech05457-24

  • Sideman, R. G., Bryant, H., & Saunders, O. (2024). Yields, Postharvest Storage, and Response to Pruning of Eggplant Cultivars Grown in High Tunnels in New Hampshire, USA. HortTechnology, 34(3), 331-338. doi:10.21273/horttech05404-24

  • Vallad, G. E., Qin, Q. -M., Grube, R., Hayes, R. J., & Subbarao, K. V. (2006). Characterization of Race-Specific Interactions Among Isolates of Verticillium dahliae Pathogenic on Lettuce.. Phytopathology, 96(12), 1380-1387. doi:10.1094/PHYTO-96-1380

  • Chaim, A. B., Paran, I., Grube, R. C., Jahn, M., van Wijk, R., & Peleman, J. (2001). QTL mapping of fruit-related traits in pepper (Capsicum annuum). Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 102(6-7), 1016-1028. doi:10.1007/s001220000461

  • Grube, R. C., Blauth, J. R., Arnedo Andrés, M. S., Caranta, C., & Jahn, M. K. (2000). Identification and comparative mapping of a dominant potyvirus resistance gene cluster in Capsicum. Theoretical and Applied Genetics, 101(5-6), 852-859. doi:10.1007/s001220051552

  • Grube, R. C., Zhang, Y., Murphy, J. F., Loaiza-Figueroa, F., Lackney, V. K., Provvidenti, R., & Jahn, M. K. (2000). New Source of Resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in Capsicum frutescens.. Plant Dis, 84(8), 885-891. doi:10.1094/PDIS.2000.84.8.885

  • Jahn, M., Paran, I., Hoffmann, K., Radwanski, E. R., Livingstone, K. D., Grube, R. C., . . . Moyer, J. (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.. Mol Plant Microbe Interact, 13(6), 673-682. doi:10.1094/MPMI.2000.13.6.673

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  • Most Cited Publications