Connectivity Research Center partnered with UNH’s Macfarlane Greenhouses to provide valuable insight to the researchers during the Fall 2017 semester. As an introductory project, wireless soil moisture sensors were created by our electrical engineering student researchers and installed to monitor Poinsettia plants through their growth cycle. Based on the success for this project, our student researchers are creating additional wireless sensors for other environmental factors to further assist the research at Macfarlane Greenhouse.

The NH State Forest Nursery through the UNH Cooperative Extension has recently requested assistance from Connectivity Research Center enable remote monitoring of their seedbeds, initially for soil moisture content with the potential to expand to other environmental factors. The Nursery has 3 million seedlings growing on 16 acres of irrigated, outdoor seedbeds. Their goal is to improve crop yield and enable better decision making regarding irrigation.