Our mission is to provide an immersive experience in crop science research, fostering scientific excellence and innovation to advance sustainable agriculture and food security. We aim to inspire the next generation of scientists, empowering them to shape the future of sustainable food and agriculture.
The unifying element of the PhD in Crop Science is the cultivated plant, for both agricultural and forestry aims. The scale of the research goes from the single cell to the ecosystem. We aim to prepare researchers to develop innovative, sustainable solutions for global agriculture, through different approaches, such as:
- Agrobiotechnologies: Plant genetics and breeding, genomics and proteomics of processes involved in the regulation of cell cycle, reproductive systems, seed development and fruit maturation/ripening. Selection and genetic improvement of microorganisms for the conversion of residual biomass into high added value products.
- Plant-environment interaction: Role of micro-organisms in symbiotic associations with plants, anti-oxydation systems and environmental stress, ecophysiology, plant-insect and plant-pathogen interactions.
- Ecosystem management: Human impact on ecological equilibrium, Integrated Pest Management, use of micro-organisms in ecosystem processes, including removal of pollutants, post-harvest management
The Professional Profile
The professional roles that are expected to be trained, in addition to those in the academic field, coincide with figures of highly qualified technicians differentiated in relation to the line of research followed, however the neo-doctors will have a solid general training which sees the cultivated plant as a common element. Finally, for employment purposes, the launch of initiatives aimed at development is of particular importance for autonomous professional activities, also linked to the organization of spin-off proposals or start-ups (highly innovative new companies).
Scientific Areas of the PhD
You can click on a research area to see a list of specific topics.