Sensing soil quality using optical sensing techniques in headland crop management
Background Minimising soil compaction and maintaining soil structural quality can positively impact on crop establishment and yields, and assessing soil structural characteristics at headlands can assist in determining the impact of traffic and non-traffic on soil quality and crop yields. Soil structural properties such as bulk density, particle size and soil moisture are often time consuming and expensive, using conventional laboratory techniques and soil spectroscopy has recently been reported as an emerging technology in soil testing and monitoring that has replaced many extractive and digestive laboratory methods of soil physical and chemical analysis. This Ph.D. will build spectral calibration models in FTIR using chemometric methods to predict soil physical and chemical attributes that will inform soil quality for precision headland crop management and work within a project team working across a network of sites assessing the impact of controlled traffic on soil structural properties at headlands and in-field. This Ph.D. will collect and interpret spectral data across a range of sites varying in soil texture and structural quality and build calibration models to predict multiple soil attributes. In this work, optimising soil spectroscopic techniques using hand-held instrumentation will be explored. A spatial component to this work will involve geostatistical methods to capture in-field variation in soil properties and combine this knowledge with portable spectroscopic analysis. Requirements Applicants should have a good primary degree (First or Second Class Honours) or M.Sc. in an appropriate discipline (Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, etc.). Experience in statistical methods and laboratory skills are desirable. The successful candidate should be highly self-motivated and be prepared for laboratory work and extended periods of field work with modern analytical equipment. A full EU driving licence is also required. This fellowship is open to EU citizens only. Award The PhD Fellowship is a joint research project between Teagasc, Johnstown Castle and NUI Galway. The student will be based, at the Teagasc Research Centre at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford and will be registered at NUI Galway, working under the supervision of Drs. Karen Daly and Chaosheng Zhang. The fellowship provides a stipend of €22,000. University fees are paid by the student from the stipend which is tenable for 4 years. It is envisaged that this project will start April/May 2016. Further Information/Applications Dr Karen Daly, Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, Wexford, Republic of Ireland Phone +353 (0)53 9171283 email: [email protected] Dr Chaosheng Zhang, NUI Galway Phone +353 91 492375 email: [email protected] Application Procedure Submit an electronic copy of Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest simultaneously to: Dr Karen Daly [email protected] and Dr Chaosheng Zhang [email protected] Closing date : 18th March 2016.
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April 2021
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