Hitting the sweet spot - phenotyping tissue integrity to reduce sugar losses during the harvest and storage of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris).

PhD Studentship (42 months funding including a 6 months paid work placement)
Background
Sugar beet is a major crop grown in temperate countries as a source of dietary sugar. However, sugar can be lost from harvested roots during storage with losses of approximately 0.1% of total sugar volume per day (BBRO, 2016). Factors that reduce the propensity to root breakage and/or bruising may be associated with a reduction in sugar losses during storage but the underlying physiological basis of ‘robustness’ is not known (Hoffman & Schnepel, 2016). Work at Harper Adams University almost 20 years ago studied the biochemical processes of bruising in sugar beet (e.g. Ibrahim et al., 2001; Spackman & Cobb, 2001) but there is little or no understanding of factors affecting susceptibility to damage and/or bruising of sugar beet roots, although many such factors have been identified for other crops including potatoes (reviewed by Cobb, 1998), carrots (Herppich et al., 1999) and radish (Lockley et al., 2014). Tissue strength and hence propensity to damage can be influenced by physiological factors such as cell size, cell wall volume fraction, adhesion between cells, root water potential, osmotic potential and turgor pressure, tissue texture and the nutrient status of the tissue (Wiltshire & Cobb, 2000).

Aims & Objectives
This project aims to identify phenotypic traits to enable plant breeders and growers to optimise tissue strength making roots more resilient to damage and hence reduce sugar losses during crop storage. This project addresses a specific commercial need and also develops a commercially relevant scientist who would be well suited to working in plant science either as a career academic or in applied crop science.

The student will receive training in post-harvest physiology, agronomy, soil and crop assessments, plant tissue texture analysis and statistical analyses as well as experience of the technical challenges of commercial crop production.

Applications should be made through the HAU website: https://jobs.harper-adams.ac.uk/ where further details of the project can also be found.

The deadline for uploading completed applications is 5 pm UK time on Thursday, 28 February 2019.

Further information can be found on the HAU website at www.harper-adams.ac.uk and on the research training provided and PhD progression requirements in the Postgraduate Research Students Handbook at:
https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/documents//MPhil-PhD-Handbook.pdf

For informal enquiries on general aspects of research degrees at HAU, applicants may contact Mrs Viv Slann, Research Students Administrator ([Email Address Removed]). For informal enquiries on the project, applicants may contact the Director of Studies Dr Jim Monaghan through the staff directory: https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/general/staff/

All applicants must have a minimum of an upper second class UK honours degree, or equivalent, in Biology (with a plant science component), Plant Biology, Environmental Studies, Agriculture or related sciences or an MSc degree in the same areas.

A minimum level of competency in English is required. Where necessary, applicants need to be classed as an overall IELTS grade 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component. Please see the following link with regard to English Language requirements:
https://www.harper-adams.ac.uk/university-life/international/english-language.cfm