USDA cites salmon embryo research in national email bulletin

University of Maine research was highlighted in the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s email bulletin, “Fresh from the Field.” The weekly newsletter showcases transformative impacts made by grantees funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The Aug. 10 bulletin included a description of research being conducted by LeeAnne Thayer, a Ph.D. candidate in marine sciences, and Heather Hamlin, an assistant professor of aquaculture and marine biology. Beginning in 2000, fertilized salmon eggs began dying in large numbers, and the average survival rate fell from 80 to 50 percent. The study, which was funded by NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, has found that two hormones may play significant roles in achieving an 80 percent embryo survival rate, the bulletin states.