PhD scholarships

Sheep can be bred to produce less methane per unit of feed eaten, with no negative effects on animal health, growth, fertility or ability to produce meat or wool.  Work is underway to understand dairy and beef cattle genetics. 

We are undertaking research to:

• determine if the genetic variation responsible for methane emissions in growing young bulls is replicated in their daughters

• monitor the impact of selecting for low-emitting genetics on animal productivity and health

• predict/identify low-emitting livestock using proxies such as gut microbes and milk composition

• generate beef genotypes and phenotypes that can be used to facilitate the development of breeding values to deliver genetic methane improvements
  

Can you see yourself working in this area?  

To contribute to this research area, we need animal geneticists and nutritionists, microbiologists, chemists and a broad range of other disciplines.  

Leading researchers in this area include: 

Dr Suzanne Rowe  is a Principal Scientist from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, leading research into breeding low emitting ruminants.  

Dr Rowe is interested in supervising a PhD student project exploring proxies for identifying low-emitting cows (e.g. gut microbes, milk). 

Dr Lorna McNaughton and Dr Olivia Spaans are Senior Researchers at LIC, an agri-tech and herd improvement co-operative.  

Drs McNaughton and Spaans are actively researching low methane emitting cows and are interested in a student to study the rumen microbiome. 

Dr. Jason Archer is the head of genetics at Beef+Lamb NZ and is involved in the beef methane genetics program 

Chemical compounds have been discovered that can block critical enzymatic pathways in rumen-dwelling methanogens, restricting their growth and ability to produce methane. 

The Ag Emissions Centre’s methane inhibitor programme is looking at ways to:

• discover and develop inhibitors that will be effective in grazing systems

• deliver methane-reducing compounds to animals.

Can you see yourself working in this area?  

This research area includes a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, for example animal geneticists and nutritionists, rumen and soil microbiologists, organic and analytical chemists, plant sciences, and more!  

Leading researchers in this area include:

Associate Professor Sarah Kessans is in the School of Product Design at the University of Canterbury.  She is researching synthetic biology solutions to combat climate change. 

She is interested in a student to explore fungal biosynthesis of methane inhibitor compounds.

Professor Emily Parker is at the Ferrier Institute, Victoria University, working at the interface between chemistry and biology.  She has been researching the use of endophytic fungi to deliver small molecule methane inhibitors to plants for effective methane mitigation in grazing. 

Dr Linda Johnson from the AgResearch group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute is also involved in the project to develop commercial endophytic fungi that deliver methane inhibitors to pasture grasses, so they can be adopted by New Zealand farmers.

Most of New Zealand’s total methane emissions come from enteric methane produced by the digestive systems of ruminant animals.  To reduce these emissions, it is critical to understand the factors driving methanogenesis in the rumen and develop effective methane mitigation strategies.  

Some of the areas we are exploring are: 

• feeds that ferment differently and produce less methane 

• chemicals that inhibit methanogens in the rumen

• vaccines that trigger an animal’s immune system to generate antibodies that supress methanogens in the rumen

Can you see yourself working in this area? 

To contribute to this research area, we need microbiologists, chemists, animal nutritionists, immunologists and much more!

Leading researchers in this area include:

The Rumen Microbiology Research Team from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute has been researching the biology and complex interactions of the microorganisms in the rumen, with the ultimate aim of improving animal productivity and reducing enteric methane emissions.  Get in touch with team lead Dr Steve Archer to find a potential supervisor in the team. 

Dr Arjan Jonker  is a Senior Scientist from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, his research interests are focussed on the potential of alternative forages to reduce enteric methane emissions.

Dr Amelia Almeida is a Senior Lecturer in animal science at Massey University and has a background in ruminant nutrition. Dr Almeida works with Bioeconomy Science Institute scientists to explore how nutritional interventions and management practices can complement genetic selection to reduce emissions while maintaining or improving animal performance. 

Also check out the Animal Science Group at Massey University and Lincoln University’s Department of Agricultural Sciences where they have potential PhD supervisors in animal nutrition, animal genetics and breeding and agricultural/animal production systems.

In New Zealand, most nitrous oxide is produced by micro-organisms acting on nitrogen introduced to the soil via livestock urine or synthetic fertilisers.  

We are looking at nitrous oxide reduction through investigating:

• chemical inhibitors that can suppress the action of nitrous oxide producing microbes in the soil

• forage plants that can reduce the quantity of nitrogen excreted by livestock, influence microbial processes in the soil, and directly influence soil processes that release nitrous oxide

Management practices that deplete soil carbon and release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere add to other emissions of greenhouse gases.  We are exploring:

• different management practices to capture CO₂ through diverse pasture swards and enhanced rock weathering

• reducing GHG emissions from drained agricultural peat soils that have shifted from long-term carbon sinks to sources of GHG emissions

Can you see yourself working in this area?  

This priority area is all about soil, soil processes, and soil-plant interactions.  We need researchers who are microbiologists, soil scientists, plant scientists, molecular biologists and other related disciplines. 

Leading researchers in this area include:

Dr Cecile de Klein is a Principal Scientist from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, she is researching mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emission from grazed livestock systems.  

Professors Keith Cameron and Hong Di are based in the Department of Soil and Physical Sciences at Lincoln University.  They are researching the efficacy of nitrous oxide mitigation options in soils in agricultural systems.  

Dr Jiafa Luo  is a Principal Scientist from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, working on agricultural nitrous oxide mitigation strategies. He works in close collaboration with Lincoln University and the University of Waikato.

Dr Marta Alfaro is a Senior Scientist from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, researching nitrogen, losses and transfer from grazing soils to water and air, including N₂O emissions quantification and mitigation and the use of nanotechnology.

Dr Saman Bowatte (Senior Scientist) and Dr Grace Chibuike (Scientist) from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute are researching aspects of reducing soil N₂O emissions through the development of chemical inhibitors and natural plant compounds. Dr Saman is interested in plant-soil-microbe interactions and works collaboratively Lincoln and Massey University.

Professor Louis Schipper is a Soil Scientist at the University of Waikato, he leads a team with colleague Dr Aaron Wall investigating novel approaches to increase soil carbon stocks while also decreasing emissions of other greenhouse gases.  

They are interested in a student to join their team to work on reducing GHG emissions (mostly CO₂) from drained agricultural peat soils, cropping on mineral and peat soils and capture of CO₂ through enhanced rock weathering.

Research on future farm systems looks at how different elements of a farm – the natural resources, the environment, management practices, finances and people – combine into a system for achieving the outcomes that farmers, farm businesses or landowners want in terms of reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in the context of achieving their broader business priorities and outcomes.

Can you see yourself working in this area? 

To contribute to this area, we need researchers who are interested in data science, economics, social science, ecosystem services, and much more!

Leading researchers in this area include:

Dr Robyn Dynes (Principal Scientist) and Dr Ronaldo Vibart (Senior Scientist) from the AgResearch Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute, are looking at how future farm systems can be developed to reduce on-farm gross greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Cropping Systems & Environment Team from the Plant & Food Research Group of the Bioeconomy Science Institute are working on future farm systems, researching nitrous oxide emissions and soil carbon sequestration and loss. Get in touch with team lead Dr Penny Tricker to find a potential supervisor in the team.