About the Project
"Organic manure applications to grassland and arable soils are an important source of nutrients supporting sustainable livestock systems. In Northern Ireland there is an increasing availability of manures not only from livestock industries (pig, cattle and poultry) but also from Anaerobic Digestors (AD) and green waste. Little is known about the effectiveness of these materials to improve soil health and fertility, in addition to enhancing productivity. Similarly, little information is available on the abundance and role of pathogens in these organic materials once they have been applied to soils. This project will seek to better understand the fate of pathogens from organic manures following application and will contribute important information on the environmental impact of slurries and other animal waste when applied to N. Ireland agricultural land. Research in the United States (Tarkalson et al. 2018 In Review) has demonstrated a strong legacy effect of applying dairy manures to soils, with improved soil nutrient status and crop yields continuing for a number of years after manure applications have ceased. The hypothesis is that the manure ‘primed’ the soil, resulting in chemical, physical and microbial changes that improve plant growth and production compared to non-manured systems, and those receiving commercial inorganic fertiliser only. The project seeks to document the benefits and trade-offs of applying dairy manure to both arable and grassland soils where manure has not previously been applied, and compare to soils receiving a similar application of inorganic fertiliser. Comparisons will also be made with soils with a history of manure application. Nutrient cycling, soil health and the economic consequences of manure applications will be evaluated. Research Priorities: 1) Evaluation of the impact of organic manure application on soil quality and nutrient availability for sustainable and profitable grassland and forage crop production in Northern Ireland; 2) Safe and effective use of animal manures and organic material for grassland and arable crops. 3) Economic value of a range of manures. 4) Evaluation of the potential use of arable farming integrated into grassland systems (with associated changes in manure use) to support the sustainability of NI soils and agri-food in general. 4) Evaluation of the mechanisms to increase manure use in NI farming systems based on the potential benefits of manure priming. Training: The successful applicant will receive training in relevant analytical techniques (plant biomass, soil composition, dry matter yield, grain size, bulk density and infiltration capacity, soil nutrient analysis, including N mineralisation, measurements of N loss/mass balance change, and microbial analysis) in the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Agri-Environment Branch), QUB (School of Natural and Built Environment) and Aberdeen (Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences. Applicants should have a strong grounding in biological or environmental science, physical geography or a related subject at undergraduate and/or Masters level.
Reference:
Tarkalson, D.D. Bjorneberg, D.L. Lentz, R, D. 2018. Effects of manure history and nitrogen fertilizer rate on sugarbeet production in the Northwest US (In Review)"
Funding Notes
This studentship is available to UK and other EU nationals and provides funding for tuition fees and stipend, subject to eligibility.
Candidates should have (or expect to achieve) a minimum of a 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant subject.