Can Maize Survive the Climate of Tomorrow? – Climate Change Meets Nutrient Deficiency
- Beschreibung
Exploring Future Maize Production with Crop Modeling
Hotter summers, changing rainfall patterns, and limited nutrients—what does the future hold for maize?
Maize is central to food, feed, and bioenergy production, but its future productivity may depend on how it copes with climate change and nutrient limitations at the same time. Climate change is reshaping agriculture, while nutrient deficiencies pose additional challenges to crop productivity. But what happens when climate change and phosphorus deficiency affect maize at the same time? Could their combined effects threaten future maize production in Germany?
In this project, you will explore these questions using DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer, https://dssat.net/), a widely used crop simulation modeling framework. Through virtual experiments and data analysis, you will investigate how maize might respond to changing climate conditions and nutrient limitations.
No previous crop modeling experience is required—just curiosity and motivation!
What Will You Investigate?
Depending on your interests, you may explore questions such as:
• Climate change: How might rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increasing CO₂ concentrations affect maize growth and yield?
• Phosphorus deficiency: How does limited phosphorus availability influence maize productivity?
• Combined stress: How might climate change and nutrient limitations interact to affect maize growth?
• Future agriculture: What could these changes mean for sustainable maize production in Germany?
You will work with real environmental and crop data, design simulation scenarios, interpret model outputs, and communicate your results as a scientific poster and, where applicable, presentation.
- Projektzeitraum
- Wintersemester 2026/2027
- Bewerbungszeitraum
- 12. bis 26.10.2026
- Durchführung
- semesterbegleitend
- Details zu Projektzeitraum und Durchführung
Working hours are flexible and will be distributed throughout the project, adapted to students’ desired ECTS credits. The project can be completed fully remotely; regular online meetings and guidance will be provided.
- Studienfach
-
Agrarbiologie
Agrarwissenschaften
Biologie
Crop Sciences
Earth and Climate System Science
Environmental Protection and Agricultural Food Production
Environmental Science - Soil, Water and Biodiversity - Betreuende
- Shinhye Lee
- Institut
- Institut für Kulturpflanzenwissenschaften (340) (Agronomy (340a))
- Sprache
- englisch
- Teilnehmendenanzahl
- min. 1, max. 3
- Arbeitsaufwand
-
ca. 180 Stunden pro Teilnehmende:r
| 6
ECTS-Punkte
Arbeitsaufwand (Stunden und ggf. ECTS) sind ungefähre Angaben. Die tatsächlich vergebenen ECTS-Punkte ergeben sich aus der tatsächlich geleisteten Arbeit.
- Für dieses Projekt ist kein Motivationsschreiben des Studierenden erforderlich
- Projektart
- experimentell
- Lernziele
-
Die Teilnehmende lernen in diesem Projekt:
1. Model maize growth: Run crop simulations using DSSAT (https://dssat.net/).
2. Explore environmental data: Prepare and analyze weather, soil, and crop datasets.
3. Investigate future scenarios: Assess climate change and phosphorus limitation effects on maize productivity.
4. Analyze results using R: Evaluate, compare, and visualize simulation outputs.
5. Communicate scientific findings: Present your results through a scientific poster and, where applicable, presentation.
- Anmerkungen für Studierende
Data analysis and computer-based crop modeling (remote work possible).
- Beginners are welcome! No previous experience with DSSAT, crop modeling, or R is required.
- Flexible and partially remote: You can organize much of your work around your studies.
- Small-group research: You will receive close guidance while developing independent research skills.
- No motivation letter required: Just bring your curiosity and commitment.
- Interested or unsure whether this fits your background? Feel free to contact me before applying: shinhye.lee@uni-hohenheim.de