Project

Assessing crop performance in silvoarable agroforestry system in the Netherlands

Silvoarable agroforestry practices have gained renewed attention in Europe over the last few decades because they can deliver a wide range of ecosystem services, such as provisioning (food, fuel and fibre), support (e.g. nutrient cycling), regulation (e.g. biological pest control), and cultural services (e.g. recreation). These practices are theoretically suitable for large-scale managed landscapes and mechanized production systems. However, in Europe, silvoarable agroforestry systems are still rare and there is a lack of integrated quantitative analysis of crop productivity and product quality, and of pest and disease regulation delivered by different tree-crop combinations.

Project description

The PhD project focuses on contributing to the design and implementation of effective silvoarable agroforestry practices in the Netherlands. This project will
provide new insight on the effects of trees on surrounding environment and
consequently on crop growth, biomass, yield, pest and disease occurrence. This will further provide a way forward for optimizing the design and implementation of silvoarable agroforestry systems. This PhD project is affiliated with the PPS Verdienmodellen Agroforestry initiative. For more detailed information, you can visit this link.

Objectives and methods

    Field experiment:

    1. Contributing to the assessment of the effect of tree strips on the performance of crops such as potato, maize, etc.
    2. Exploring the influence of tree presence on the occurrence of pests and diseases.

    Methods are:

    1. Experimental data collection in the field and subsequent analysis.
    2. Laboratory work at Unifarm/Lelystad.

    Expectations

    Work independently in the field and agronomic laboratories.

    Required skills

    Skills and knowledge in conducting field experiments and/or experience or interest in agroforestry modeling are valuable. Having completed any of the following courses would be beneficial:

    • CSA-34806 Advanced Agronomy
    • FEM-22803 Agroforestry
    • FSE-31806 Agroecology

    Additionally, a foundation in statistical knowledge is essential.

    Types of work/research

    We offer an opportunity for interested students to
    participate in a field experiment as part of a PhD project on a silvoarable
    agroforestry system. The fieldwork will be conducted during the 2025 and 2026
    cropping seasons in the Flevopolder, Lelystad, the Netherlands. The lab work
    can be done either in Unifarm or in Lelystad.

    Period

    April – until October (Cropping season)

    Location

    Flevopolder, Lelystad, the Netherlands

    Supervisors