PhD in Agricultural Sciences at Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (Slovakia)

Key details

• Host institution: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra
• Location: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Trieda Andreja Hlinku 2, Nitra, Slovakia
• Application deadline: May 31, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Apply by email to [email protected] (subject line and attachments per the official instructions).
• Full vacancy text and updates: Euraxess listing.

About the position

Job offer: Morphological screening of genetic resources of maize (Zea mays L.) from a geographically arid corridor of Guatemala (full-time)

Institution: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

Supervisor: assoc. prof. Ing. Janka Nôžková, PhD.

Workplace: Institute of Plant and Environmental Sciences, FAFR, SUA in Nitra

Language: Slovak/English

Thesis Description

Maize is one of the three most widely grown cereals in the world, providing 80% of the calories in the human diet. Growing maize in today’s changing climatic conditions is a challenge for farmers worldwide. As a result, there is a need to identify new genetic resources to form the basis of high-yielding varieties that can be grown under changing climatic conditions. To meet these challenges, research focuses on pre-screening maize genotypes for improved drought tolerance, increasing water-use efficiency, and exploring sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the impact of climate change on maize production.

Main Aim

Morphological screening of maize (Zea mays L.) genetic resources and determination of new genotypes suitable for cultivation under arid conditions.

Methods

• Characterization of plant parts using microscopic and macroscopic techniques.
• Creation of new descriptors and innovation of existing ones for genetic resources.
• Photo documentation of plant parts and building databases for subsequent image analysis.
• Use of automated image analysis tools for the evaluation of selected objects in image sets of plant parts.
• Statistical analysis to determine statistically significant differences, correlations, and discriminant analysis, as well as the use of multivariate methods.

Expected Contributions

• To increase the economic value of maize genotypes useful for new breeding objectives through the collection of data on morphological and biological traits and features.
• Discovery of new traits and characteristics for breeding.
• Design and innovation of descriptors for morphological traits.
• Application of new microscopic techniques and image analysis methods to determine phenotypic variability.

Requirements of the Applicant

• A second level university degree in agricultural or natural sciences.
• Diploma and work experience – experience in plant production, botany, and microscopic analysis is welcome.
• Direct connection of the applicant to the experimental base for field trials of maize genetic resources from Guatemala.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office tools – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, basic knowledge of the use of image analysis programs, and programming is welcome.
• Language skills – active knowledge of English.