Opportunities
Are you curious to learn more about arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and techniques on how to examine them?
Are you interested in gaining or strengthening your skills in microscopy?
We are currently looking for meticulous students interested in conducting their MSc thesis projects with us.
Projects:
N fertilization and wheat genotypes
The following MSc thesis project is part of CROP – Combining ROot contrasted Phenotypes for more resilient agro-ecosystems, an ongoing research project at Forschungszentrum Jülich, examining the performance of shallow and deep rooting wheat genotypes along an N fertilization gradient and with different sources of N (nitrate or ammonium). You would work and the University of Bonn (Auf dem Hügel 6) and learn how to quantify AM fungal structures in the soil or in plant roots.
Project CROP – Examining the Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization and Wheat Genotype Interactions on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
The following MSc thesis projects are part of two ongoing research projects. Both are examining the role of AM fungi, as affected by soil management and cover crops, in enhancing crop tolerance to stress; specifically, tolerance of faba bean to insect pests or tolerance of maize to drought. In any of the thesis projects you would learn how to quantify AM fungal structures in the soil or in plant roots.
Tillage, cover crops, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Context: Tolerance of faba bean to insect pests
Project insects – Assessing the Impact of Tillage and Cover Crop Type on Insect Pests and Faba Bean Yield
Context: Tolerance of maize to drought
Project field maize – Analyze the Effect of Tillage on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Maize Performance
Drought and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Context: Tolerance of maize to drought
If you are interested in this general topic, let us know and we can discuss options.