Unravelling the influence of environmental factors upon survival and growth of Rhizoctonia, University of Western Australia (UWA)

We are seeking a highly motivated student for this exciting project to investigate the over-summer decay and growth of the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia. The project will focus on the population dynamics of the fungal pathogen prior to establishment of a wheat crop in response to environment and cropping history.  Rhizoctonia has been traditionally a problem on cereal crops in low-fertility sandy soils of southern Australia. However, with the increased adoption of conservation tillage, this disease has become much more widespread, as cultivation had previously provided some control of Rhizoctonia by breaking up the network of hyphae in the soil. Studies will involve use of cutting-edge technologies, including molecular probes, to define the role of cropping history and environment upon survival and growth of Rhizoctonia to better inform farmers' crop management decisions.

The Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) will increase the PhD scholarship by way of a Grains Industry Research Scholarship (GRS) top-up scholarshp.  The GRDC will require that a person who applies for it also applies for an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship such that the GRDC will provide a top-up to a scholarship total of $35,000 a year tax-free, plus additional support for operating at $10,000 a year. The GRDC will consider extending the duration of the scholarship from three to three and a half years with an option for a further six-month extension.

This scholarship not only provides opportunities to undertake an exciting project, but also offers opportunities to engage with farmers in Western Australia and to connect and interact nationally with the Australian Soilborne Diseases Researchers Network and attend their symposium to be held in in Perth September 2012.