Research and Extension
Research is at the heart of all endeavors at the Cranberry Station, fueling our ability to provide excellent, science-based information to cranberry growers. Station scientists are leaders in the cranberry research community and in their academic disciplines. Choose topics in the menu on the left to read more about to our individual programs and choose Annual Highlights for the most recent updates.
Our programs are supported by UMass Amherst, including UMass Extension, the Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station and the Center for Agriculture Food and the Environment. Our programs receive additional financial support in the form of grants from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, US-EPA, USDA-NIFA, USDA-ARS, and Cranberry grower organizations.
Dr. Hilary Sandler specializes in integrated weed management. Her program currently focuses on the management of woody perennial weeds and the parasitic plant, dodder. Hilary also serves as the state IPM Coordinator.
Dr. Casey Kennedy, a USDA-ARS hydrologist, conducts research on the water and nutrient management of cranberry farms. His broader research interests include water quality, isotope hydrology, groundwater-surface water interaction, and subsurface drainage management.
Dr. Peter Jeranyama is the cranberry Plant Physiologist. His specialty is whole plant physiology. His program is currently focused on irrigation, including scheduling, use in frost protection, and use for fruit cooling. He is also interested in drainage and the use of tile drains as this intersects with soil moisture management and irrigation.
Dr. Anne Averill is the cranberry entomologist. She serves on the faculty of the Environmental Conservation Department. Her program focuses on understanding insect behavior as the basis for managing cranberry insect pests. She is currently leading a large project to study native pollinators, including habitat and stresses experienced by these insects.
