Crop Science

The PhD Programme in Crop Science aims to train PhD graduates capable of tackling, through multidisciplinary approaches and innovative methodologies, the study of crop production, both at the level of the plant itself and of its interactions with the environment, insects, microorganisms and the various human activities.

Course objectives

During the PhD Programme, students must:

1. acquire high-level skills through in-depth study of one of the research areas included in the Programme;
2. acquire research methodologies and data analysis techniques useful for their field of study;
3. devise and carry out original research;
4. engage in activities to communicate their results (e.g. through presentations at conferences and symposia and through scientific publications);
5. write a thesis and defend it orally at the end of the three years. 

For first- and second-year PhD students, each year the Programme organises, in addition to the in-house training activity, a Winter or Summer School whose aims are to explore the research topics of the PhD in greater depth and to develop “soft skills”, in particular both oral and written scientific communication.

All teaching activity, both in-house and in the Winter School, is conducted in English. 

Training activities

All teaching activity, both in-house and in the Winter School, is conducted in English. 

During the first year, students are required to take part in the Programme’s courses and seminars. At the beginning of the first year, each student will be assigned a supervisor with whom they will agree their research topic.

Students on the PhD Programme must refer to their supervisor regarding courses, seminars, conferences, periods of mobility abroad and any other matter related to their research activity. In the following years, as the work becomes more specialised, students will agree with their supervisor on the research activities to be carried out.

At the end of each year, at the request of the administrative office, PhD students must submit a detailed report on the activities carried out.

Research lines

PhD graduates will be able to address, through multidisciplinary approaches and innovative methodologies, the study of plant production, both at the level of the plant itself and of its interactions with the environment, with insects, microorganisms and with the various human activities.

The scales of intervention of the research groups involved range from the cell to the ecosystem, encompassing a large number of specialisations within which three main areas and one cross-cutting connecting element can be identified:

Plant area: study of the physiological bases of plant productivity through genetic, genomic and proteomic approaches

Plant-microorganism and plant-environment interaction area: role of microorganisms in establishing collaborative relationships with the plant, in particular symbiotic and/or cenobiont microorganisms of plant species of agricultural interest; antioxidant systems and mechanisms involved in adaptation to environmental stress; interactions among pathogenic microorganisms, insects and plants.

Plant-environment-human interaction area: effect of human intervention on ecological balances; alternative and sustainable technologies; biological and integrated control of weeds, microorganisms, fungi and insects; microorganisms for the removal of both organic and inorganic pollutants; selection and genetic improvement of microorganisms for the valorisation of residual biomass through conversion into high value-added products (e.g. biofuels and bioplastics); 

Professional profile

The professional roles that the Programme aims to train, in addition to those in the academic field, correspond to highly qualified technical profiles that differ markedly according to the research line pursued; however, new PhD graduates will have a solid general education in which the cultivated plant is the common element. Finally, for employment purposes, of particular importance is the launch of initiatives aimed at developing autonomous professional activities, including those linked to the organisation of spin-off proposals (companies arising from research projects whose members are permanent and temporary staff within the Departments) or start-ups (highly innovative new companies).

• Calls and rankings
• Administrative information
• PhD Guide
• Opinion of PhD candidates and PhD graduates

Syllabus

Crop Science

Department of Agronomy, Animals, Food, Natural Resources and Environment - DAFNAE
Via dell'Università - N. 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD)

Administrative contacts
phdcs.dafnae@unipd.it