Thesis supervisor: Gábor Feigl
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Plant Biology, Institute of Biology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary Abbreviation of location of studies: SZTE
Description of the research topic:
In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the pollution of the environment with plastics and the fate of already used, discarded plastics in the ecosystem. As a possible solution, the use of biodegradable plastics is on the rise, but the effect of the substances formed during their degradation on plants is almost completely unknown. In this work, the effect of petroleum-based and biodegradable plastics on plant development and the root-soil system would be investigated.
The work is based on the development of an in vitro system and the testing of different applications of different types of plastics, where the growth responses of several plant species to different types of plastics are going to be screened. The second stage would delve deeper into the combinations that have been shown to be effective in the first phase, examining the changes in stress physiological parameters underlying the growth response. Based on the experience of the previous two, the third phase would further investigate the responses of plants to plastics in more natural-like systems, in a rhizotron model system and in an ex situ microcosm system. In the latter, changes in the plant-soil system would be examined as a complex unit, covering changes in the soil microbial community.
The planned research could help to explore the effects of different types of plastics on the plants, especially the root, in a complex way. Comparing the effects of conventional and biodegradable plastics on root physiological homeostasis could provide gap-filling knowledge in this area of enormous environmental and agricultural importance.
Required language skills: English Further requirements: Knowledge of the literature background of the research topic, experience in the study of the relationship between plants and plastics.
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2022-12-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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