Advancing Measurement and Application of Partial Biofumigation for Suppression of Potato Cyst Nematodes (CIC-START 26F) Harper Adams University in United Kingdom

This fully funded PhD project, part of the CIC-START industrial doctoral training programme, focuses on advancing the measurement and application of partial biofumigation for the suppression of potato cyst nematodes (PCN). The project is based at the James Hutton Institute, with additional time spent at Harper Adams University, Centre for Crop and Environmental Science, and includes an industrial placement with Frontier Agriculture and Lamb & Weston. The research addresses the challenge of PCN, a major pathogen affecting potato production worldwide, by developing integrated pest management strategies using brassica cover crops, particularly oilseed radish.

Partial biofumigation involves the use of oilseed radish varieties to reduce PCN population viability through the release of glucosinolates, which are metabolised by myrosinase-producing soil communities to generate toxic nematicidal products. The project aims to develop robust methods for assessing the efficiency of cover crops as partial biofumigants by monitoring soil communities for their potential to produce myrosinase. This will be achieved using bioinformatics tools such as FunGuild and Picrust2 applied to ITS and 16S data sets, followed by Hi-C metagenomics sequencing to confirm the link between species and enzyme production. Diagnostic qPCR assays will be developed to assess soil potential for glucosinolate digestion, and recombinant myrosinase from common soil populations will be used to evaluate glucosinolate hydrolysis across different cover crop varieties.

Field trials will investigate the effect of repeated flailing of oilseed radish biomass on partial biofumigation and PCN suppression, building on preliminary data from the PCN Action Scotland project. Soil bacterial, fungal, and nematode populations will be sampled throughout the growing season using 16S, ITS, and 18S rDNA sequencing to track community changes associated with key cover crop growth stages. Wider assessments of soil and environmental health, including isolation of soil macrofauna and pollinators, may be conducted to quantify non-target effects of cover crops. The toxicity of nematicidal compounds produced by cover crops will be evaluated against a panel of PCN species and populations with varying virulence.

The project objectives are to develop a diagnostic tool for soil myrosinase activity, utilise molecular techniques for PCN population assessment, determine the impact of flailing on biofumigation efficacy, evaluate environmental health effects, and assess nematicidal compound effects on Globodera species. The successful candidate will join a collaborative training programme with strong academic and industry engagement, benefiting from co-created projects and training tailored to real-world needs.

Funding is provided by BBSRC/UKRI, covering a stipend at the UKRI rate (£21,805), tuition fees, and a small research budget. Applications are open to both UK and overseas candidates, with a cap on international recruitment (30% of the cohort) as per UKRI Terms and Conditions. Applicants should have a relevant degree in agricultural sciences, molecular biology, plant biology, or soil science, and demonstrate interest in integrated pest management and molecular techniques. The application deadline is April 3, 2026.