Research Interests

The overall aim of my research project is to investigate the environmental and agricultural benefits of biogas residues and prove their suitability as biofertilizers and substitutes for chemical fertilizers. Field experiments are established in grasslands of the Greater Region to monitor the polluting potential (through measurements of reactive nitrogen forms such as NO₃^–) and efficiency (through NUE measurements) of the fertilizer nitrogen from different sources. Soil samples are also analyzed through metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches to investigate the impact of the various fertilizers on the diversity, abundance and function of soil bacterial communities implicated in nitrogen cycling processes. Finally, selected soil samples will be scanned to check the potential of soil contamination by pathogens contained in the applied biogas residue fractions.

Thesis: Biogas residues in substitution for chemical fertilizers: Assessment of diversity, abundance and function of soil bacterial communities implicated in nitrogen cycling processes.

Supervisors: Isabelle George (ULB) & Philippe Delfosse (University of Luxembourg)

Co-Supervisors: Christophe Hissler (LIST- Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology)