A STUDENT at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) has contributed to a research paper by the world’s oldest agricultural research institute.

Daisy Irons, a third year agriculture student at RAU, spent her 20-week work placement with researchers in the soil science department at Rothamsted Research, which led to her having a hand in the peer-reviewed research publication.

Daisy was involved in a project investigating soil management effects on earthworm ecology and their contributions to soil structure, adding her findings to the Applied Soil Ecology paper: ‘Lumbricus terrestris abundance is not enhanced after three years of compost amendments on a reduced tillage wheat cultivation conversion.’

Professor David Hopkins, Dean of the School of Agriculture, Food and Environment, said it is “a major achievement for an undergraduate student to contribute to the research literature at the highest level and this is a credit to Daisy and also to the valuable relationship with have with Rothamsted Research.”

Daisy said: “My work placement at Rothamsted Research gave me the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience to supplement the academic training I am receiving at the Royal Agricultural University.

"It was an excellent way to develop my skills in the collection and analysis of technical data, from the various field experiments that I was involved in. I thoroughly enjoyed working at Rothamsted Research and wholeheartedly believe it will help me further my career once I have graduated.”

The paper’s full reference is Stroud, J., Irons, Daisy, Watts, C & Whitmore, A. 2015 ‘Lumbricus terrestris abundance is not enhanced after three years of compost amendments on a reduced tillage wheat cultivation conversion.'