Applicants are invited for a PhD fellowship/scholarship at Graduate School of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark, within the Agroecology programme. The position is available from 1 September 2025 or later. You can submit your application via the link under 'how to apply'.
Title
Identifying intercropping crop traits for improved grain and nitrogen yields, nitrogen use efficiency, and reduced N losses
Research area and project description
Dominant cereal monocropping systems lose significant amount of applied nitrogen (N) fertiliser, causing environmental degradation. The European Commission’s Green Deal program recognizes the urgent need to cut down nitrogen losses by at least 50% and fertilizer dependency by at least 20% by 2030. Intercropping, which is growing two or more crops in same space and significant time overlap, is an alternative crop production system that can reduce N fertilizer input and N losses from agriculture. Yet, the potentials have not been fully realized due to, among others, the cultivars, developed for monocropping conditions, may not be efficient in intercropping systems. The complexity of intercropping systems in space and time makes it challenging for breeders to understand how cultivar traits develop and interact over the crops cycle.
This limits breeders to develop new cultivars for efficient intercropping. In this project we aim to develop a new and beyond state-of-the-art ideotype concept (trait-based approach) to identify novel crop trait combinations to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and reduce N losses via intercropping and achieve yield advantages over monocropping production level.
The project will include both field data collection and crop modelling to utilise the observed traits to simulate and refine trait combinations for reduced N input and losses from intercropping systems.
The successful candidate shall expect frequent visits to Wageningen University. The candidate will join multidisciplinary team with intercropping, crop modelling, remote sensing, root study experts. The candidate will be under the supervision of Jim Rasmussen and Juliana T. Martins in the Climate and Water section at the Department of Agroecology, and of Uttam Kumar in the Earth Systems and Global Change group at Wageningen University and Research.
Project description
For technical reasons, you must upload a project description. Please simply copy the project description above and upload it as a PDF in the application.
Qualifications and specific competences
Applicants to the PhD position must have a relevant Master’s degree (or graduate in the very near future – documentation for final thesis and date of examination must be enclosed in the application) or equivalent.
The applicants shall preferably have a background in one or more of the following topic areas:
- crop physiology, agronomy, crop modelling, or
- plant breeding, remote sensing, or
- environmental sciences or mathematics with a focus on climate change mitigation in agroecosystems.
Place of employment and place of work
The place of employment is Aarhus University, and the place of work is AU Viborg, Blichers Alle 20, 8830 Tjele, Denmark
Contacts
Applicants seeking further information regarding the PhD position are invited to contact:
- Jim Rasmussen, jim.rasmussen@agro.au.dk (main supervisor)
How to apply
Please follow this link to submit your application.
Application deadline is 5 June 2025 at 23:59 CEST.
Preferred starting date is 1 September 2025.
Please note:
- Only documents received prior to the application deadline will be evaluated. Thus, documents sent after deadline will not be taken into account.
- The programme committee may request further information or invite the applicant to attend an interview.
- Shortlisting will be used, which means that the evaluation committee only will evaluate the most relevant applications.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, regardless of their personal background. Salary and terms of employment are in accordance with applicable collective agreement.
INFORMATIONER OM STILLINGEN:
- Arbejdspladsen ligger i:
Viborg Kommune
-Virksomheden tilbyder:
-Arbejdsgiver:
Aarhus Universitet, Blichers Alle, 8830 Tjele
-Ansøgning:
Ansøgningsfrist: 05-06-2025;
Se mere her: https://job.jobnet.dk/CV/FindWork/Details/884bf786-76c2-4a4f-903a-ec7b175e47d4
