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Phd defence: Exploring perennial crops and diversified rotations for sustainable agriculture: increasing biomass yields and mitigating environmental impacts

As agriculture faces increasing pressure to balance productivity with environmental responsibility, Mingming Zong focused his PhD research on understanding how perennial crops and diversified crop rotations can contribute.

Photo: Mingming Zong

His work looked at how these practices can enhance biomass yields, and reduce environmental impacts, such as nitrate loss and nitrous oxide emissions. Through long-term field studies, Mingming Zong also explored the role of soil microbial properties in supporting these benefits. His findings provide valuable insights and evidence into how established farming practices can contribute to more sustainable agriculture.

The PhD study was completed at Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Tuesday, 19 November 2024 at 11:00
Place: The Auditorium, AU Viborg, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blicher Alle 20, 8830 Tjele
Title of PhD thesis: Integrating perennials and diversified crop rotations in climate-smart agriculture: effects on biomass yield-potentials, soil carbon and nitrogen, nitrate leaching, and N2O emissions
Contact information: Mingming Zong, e-mail: mingming.zong@agro.au.dk , tel.: +45 50198811
Members of the assessment committee:
Associate Professor Dorette Sophie Müller-Stöver, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Copenhagen University, Denmark
Associate Professor Thomas Prade, Department of Biosystems and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden
Senior Researcher Anne Grete Kongsted (chair), Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Main supervisor:
Professor Uffe Jørgensen, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisors:
Professor Lars Elsgaard, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Senior Researcher Diego Abalos, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Assistant Professor Zhi Liang, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.