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

• Application portal / instructions: Official application link.
• Context on Euraxess: Original listing.

About the position

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Frost-Protection Heaters in Intensive Fruit Production Systems

Institution: Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

Supervisor: doc. Ing. Ján Mezey, PhD.

Workplace: Institute of Horticulture FHLE SUA in Nitra

Field of Study: Agriculture and Landscape

Study Program: Horticulture

Form of Study: Full-time / Part-time

Theses

The increasing frequency of late spring frosts is attributed to global climate change, which, with increasing temperature, accelerates the onset of fruit trees into individual phenological phases, and also contributes to the unpredictability and difficult prediction of such phenomena (hail, gusty wind, torrential rains, etc.). Fruit producers are therefore forced to develop various frost protection systems.

In our research, we will test in a plantation of fruit trees during frosts a system of flameless combustion using special heaters and determine the difference between air temperature and the temperature of plant tissues on the trees. The principle consists of a slow, low-temperature form of combustion of material mostly in the solid phase without flame with a persistent development of heat. The result will be the arising infrared radiation, which will mainly transfer radiation to surrounding objects (shoots, buds, flowers, etc.) on which it falls, instead of heating the air. At the same time, we will test different material that will smolder, primarily in the form of pellets from different species of trees. We will verify the time needed from the ignition of pellets for the active reduction of the temperature of tree tissues, as well as the temperature dynamics depending on time and also on the distance of the heat source from the trees.

Justification

In intensive orchards within Slovakia, paraffin candles are the most commonly used. The disadvantage of this system is that the open flame heats the surrounding air and only the heated air subsequently heats the tissues; the efficiency is relatively low and in the case of advective frosts often also insufficient, respectively not preventing frost damage. Moreover, most of the heated air moves on the chimney principle to higher layers and often also above the tree canopies, while spaces in the area of trunks and crowns are not heated so intensively. For this reason it is necessary to use devices for air mixing and ensure the distribution of heat from higher layers to ground layers, which is financially very demanding. Within the research we will therefore use special heating modules on the principle of flameless combustion, which will function on the basis of infrared heating of surrounding objects, when heat transfer (radiation) is ensured by the emission and absorption of electromagnetic radiation from an object, which is caused by the temperature of this object, that is the thermal motion of its particles.

The primary result should be a tuned frost protection system through heating modules in intensive planting of fruit trees.

Financial Coverage

KEGA 029SPU-4/2025 – Modernization of technological elements in intensive fruit orchards within the innovation of teaching methods for fruit growing-related subjects.

Likely also: Rural Development Programme of the Slovak Republic 2014–2022, Call No. 56/PRV/2022, Sub-measure 16.1 EIP – Protection of intensive fruit orchards against frost-induced damage.