  The Landau-de Gennes free energy is used to calculate the interaction between
long cylindrical colloids and the nematic-isotropic (NI) interface. This
interaction has two contributions: one is specific of liquid crystals and
results from the deformation of the director field close to the particles or to
the interface, while the other is generic and results from wetting and surface
tension effects.
  Deep in the nematic phase the director field of long cylindrical colloids,
with strong homeotropic anchoring, exhibits two half-integer defect lines. As
the colloid moves towards the interface, the director configuration changes
through a series of discontinuous transitions, where one or two of the defects
are annihilated. In addition, the NI interface bends towards the colloid in
order to minimize the elastic free energy in the nematic. In the isotropic
phase, the colloid is surrounded by a thin nematic layer that reduces the
surface free energy under favorable wetting conditions.
  The interaction has a well-defined minimum near the interface. In this region
the director and interfacial structures are complex and cannot be described
analytically. Using the numerical results for the Landau-de Gennes free energy
in the harmonic region, we obtained simple scaling laws for the (linear) force
on the colloid.
