Supervisors:  Dr Alistair Murdoch

Overview:  Please note that this project is being advertised in conjunction with one other project, on a competitive basis. Only one of the projects will be funded. Funding will be awarded to the first high quality applicant to a) complete a formal application and b) be put forward by either of the project leads for the award.

This project aims to reduce the environmental and human impact of crop production by minimising herbicide inputs to vegetable crops and to alleviate problems faced by growers due to lack of suitable chemicals. Two complementary research questions are: (1) can herbicides precisely applied by a robot to leaves of weeds give acceptable weed control while avoiding any direct application to the crop or soil? And (2) if chemicals could not be applied without crop damage, can the weeds be pulled out by the robot? Results will inform development of a prototype robot (with USA collaborators) into a commercial system for horticultural crops in the UK.

Eligibility: Applicants should hold a minimum of a UK Honours Degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant subject. Please note that due to restrictions on the funding this studentship is for UK/EU applicants only.

Funding Details:  Studentship will cover Home/EU Fees and pay the Research Council minimum stipend (£13,726 for 2013/14) for up to three years. The studentship will begin in October 2013. 

How to apply: To apply for this studentship please submit an application to the University at the apply button below.

Please quote GS13-67 in the ‘Scholarships applied for’ box and apply for a PhD in Agriculture. 

Application Deadline: Please note that due to the short timescale available, there is no set deadline. Applicants should therefore submit a formal application as soon as possible. The studentship will be awarded to the first high quality candidate applying for either project.

Further Enquiries:  Contact Dr Alistair Murdoch (a.j.murdoch@reading.ac.uk).