Dr T Woodcock, Dr J Carroll
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
The sustainability of current crop production practices in Ireland is challenged by the lack of rotation resulting in higher production costs, lower profit margins and increasing monoculture problems. There is a need to increase the area of broad-acre break crops such as oilseed rape (OSR). The overall aim of this project is to develop an understanding of the factors impacting on the performance of OSR crops in Ireland and to develop crop management practices that will improve performance in our climate. Specifically, this PhD work plan contains the following objectives:
• To determine the impact of OSR crop structure post-winter (as influenced by sowing date and
seeding rate) on subsequent yield potential
• To develop appropriate management strategies to optimise production from different types of post-
winter crop structures in a mild climate.
• To evaluate crop structure measurement techniques which would be easily adopted by farmers to
allow them more accurately assess crop growth and development.
Standard duties and responsibilities of the scholarship
This PhD candidate would help to underpin future OSR production by providing a better understanding of quality parameters of cold pressed rapeseed oil (including fatty acid profile) and identify the factors influencing these parameters. This project will involve a large amount of field trials which will be conducted to identify management strategies, climactic issues etc. that influence OSR crop characteristics.
Funding Notes
Qualifications
• Applicants should have a good primary degree (First or Second Class Honours) or M.Sc. in an appropriate discipline (Agricultural Science, Crop Science, Plant Physiology etc.).
Knowledge & Experience
• The successful candidate should have excellent lab skills. Much of the work will involve in depth field trials, so experience of such trials would be important.
Skills & Competencies
• The successful candidate should be highly self-motivated and be prepared for extended periods of field work.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit evidence of competency in English, please see WIT’s English Language Requirements for details.
References
Application Procedure
Submit an electronic copy of your Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest simultaneously to:
Dr Tony Woodcock (twoodcock@wit.ie) and
Dr John Carroll (john.carroll@teagasc.ie)
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