Meet the UMCA Faculty and Staff
Ranjith Udawatta, Ph.D.
Research Professor
SNR
203 ABNR, SNR
Columbia, MO 65211
(573) 882-4347
udawattar@missouri.edu
The primary objective of my research is to quantify environmental benefits of agroforestry and conservation practices. Currently, I am conducting research on influences of agroforestry, grass buffers, and other conservation practices on water and soil quality. In addressing this issue I am examining how trees and grasses change surface and subsurface water quality by reducing runoff, nutrients and sediment when integrated in rowcrop agriculture and grazing management. Changes in soil physical properties, soil water dynamics, and competition for resources, root length density, nutrient accumulation, and microclimate are evaluated to examine soil and water benefits of these practices. Effects of soil carbon sequestration, prairie restoration, and cover crops on soil quality and water quality are some of the areas in which I have conducted research. Recently, I have used X-ray computed tomography to quantify soil porosity, distribution of pores, pore connectivity, and tortuosity as influenced by agroforestry, cover crops, and conservation practices.
Teaching
Agroforestry for Watershed Restoration
Recent Peer-reviewed Publications
Rankoth, L.M., R.P. Udawatta, K.S. Veum, S. Jose and S. Alagele. 2019. Cover crop influence on soil enzymes and selected chemical parameters for a claypan corn-soybean rotation. Agriculture. 2019,9,125. doi:10.3390/agriculture9060125
Udawatta, R.P., L.M. Rankoth, and S. Jose. 2019. Agroforestry and biodiversity. Sustainability 11, 02879, 22p. doi:10.3390/su11102879 Invited
Dollinger, J., C.-Ho Lin, R.P. Udawatta, V. Pot, P. Benoit, and S. Jose. 2019. Influence of agroforestry plant species on the infiltration of S-Metolachlor in buffer soils. Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 225, 103498. doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2019.103498
Rankoth, L.M., R.P. Udawatta, C.J. Gantzer, S. Jose, K. Veum, and H.A. Dewanto. 2019. Cover crops on temporal and spatial variations in soil microbial communities by Phospholipid Fatty Acid profiling. Agronomy Journal 111:1693-1703. doi:10.2134/agronj2018.12.0789
Cai, Z., R.P. Udawatta, C.J. Gantzer, S. Jose, L. Godsey, and L. Cartwright. 2019. Economic impacts of cover crops for a Missouri wheat-corn-soybean rotation. Agriculture 9, 83, 13p. doi:10.3390/agriculture9040083
VeVerka, J.S., R.P. Udawatta, and R.J. Kremer. 2019. Soil health indicator responses on Missouri claypan soils affected by landscape position, depth, and management practices. Journal of Soil Water Conservation 74:126-137. Doi:10.2489/jswc.74.2.126
Çerçioglu, M., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, and S. Alagele. 2019. Effect of cover crop management on soil hydraulic properties. Geoderma. 343:247-253. doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.02.027
Bolster, C.H., C. Baffaut, N.O. Nelson, D.L Osmond, M.L. Cabrera, J.J. Ramirez-Avila, A.N. Sharpley, T.L. Veith, A.M.S. McFarland, A.G.M.M.M. Senaviratne, G.M. Pierzynski, and R.P. Udawatta. 2019. Development of PLEAD: a database containing event-based runoff phosphorus loadings from agricultural fields. Journal of Environmental Quality. 48:510-517. Doi:10.2134/jeq2018.09.0337
Anderson, S.H. and R.P. Udawatta. 2019. Agroforestry: A System for Improving Soil Health. Pp 317-334 In M.R. Mosquera-Losada and R. Prabhu (eds.) Agroforestry for Sustainable Agriculture. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK. dx.doi.org/10.19103/AS.2018.0041.10
Senaviratne, G.M.M.M.A., C. Baffaut, J.A. Lory, R.P. Udawatta, N.O. Nelson, and A.B. Bhandari. 2018. Evaluation of four parameterization strategies for the APEX model. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. 61:1603-1617. doi:10.13031/trans.12656
Cercioglu, M., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, and S.I. Haruna. 2018. Effects of cover crop and biofuel crop management on computed tomography-measured pore parameters. Geoderma. 319:80-88.
Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2018. Biomass and buffer management practice effects on soil hydraulic properties compared to grain crops for claypan landscapes. Agroforestry Systems. Doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0255-1
Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, and S. Jose. 2018. Agroforestry, grass, biomass crop, and row-crop management effects on soil water dynamics for claypan landscapes. Pp 212-216 In N. Ferreiro-Dominguez and M.R. Mosquera-Losada (Eds.) Agroforestry as Sustainable Landuse, 4th European Agroforestry Conference, 28-30 May 2018. Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Udawatta, R.P. 2018. Agroforestry practices for water quality and quantity benefits. Pp 269-273. In N. Ferreiro-Dominguez and M.R. Mosquera-Losada (Eds.) Agroforestry as Sustainable Landuse 4th European Agroforestry Conference, Agroforestry as Sustainable Land Use. 28-30 May 2018. Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Senaviratne, G.M.M.A., C. Baffaut, J.A. Lory, R.P. Udawatta, N.O. Nelson, J.R. Williams, and S.H. Anderson. 2018. Improved APEX model simulation of buffer water quality benefits at field scale. Trans American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 61:603-616.
Baffaut, C., N.O. Nelson, J.A. Lory, G.M.M.M.A. Senaviratne, A. Bhandari, R.P. Udawatta, D. W. Sweeney, M.J. Helmers, M. Van Liew, A.P. Mallarino, and C.S. Wortmann. 2017. Multisite evaluation of APEX for water quality: 1. Best professional judgement parameterization. Journal of Environmental Quality. 46:1323-1331.
Nash, P., K.A. Nelson, P.P. Motavalli, and R.P. Udawatta. 2017. Improved water management of a poorly-drained, floodplain soil and the impact on forage production and nitrate concentration. J. Soil and Water Conservation 72:640-649.
Nelson, N.O, C. Baffaut, J.A. Lory, G.M.M.M.A. Senaviratne, A. Bhandari, R.P. Udawatta, D. W. Sweeney, M.J. Helmers, M. Van Liew, A P. Mallarino, and C.S. Wortmann. 2017. Multi-site evaluation of APEX for water quality: II Regional parameterization. Journal of Environmental Quality. 46:1349-1356.
Senaviratne, G.M.M.M.A., C. Baffaut, J.A. Lory, R.P. Udawatta, N.O. Nelson, J.R. Williams, S.H. Anderson,. 2017. Improved APEX model simulation of buffer water quality benefits at field scale. American Society of Agricultural Biological Engineers 61:603-616.
Weerasekera, C.S., R.P. Udawatta, C.J. Gantzer, R.J. Kremer. S. Jose, and K.S. Veum. 2017. Effects of cover crops on soil quality: selected chemical and biological parameters. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 48:2074-2082.
Udawatta, R.P., C.J. Gantzer, and S. Jose. 2017. Agroforestry practices and soil ecosystem services. Pp 305-334. In M.M. Al-Kaisi and B. Lowery (Eds.) Soil Health and Intensification of Agroecosytems. Elsevier AP, USA.
Dosskey, M.G., J. Brandle, G. Bentrup, A.C. Bell, S. Brantly, A. Chambers, C. Elevitch, M. Gold, J. Griffin, K. Havens, S. Jose, T. Sauer, R. Udawatta, and D. Zamora. 2017. Chapter 2. Reducing threats and enhancing resiliency. In: Schoeneberger, Michele M.; Bentrup, G.; Patel-Weynand, Toral, (eds). Agroforestry: enhancing resiliency in U.S. agricultural landscapes under changing conditions. Gen. Tech. Rep. WO-96. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington Office: 7-42.
Udawatta, R.P., C.J. Gantzer, S.H. Anderson, and S. Assouline. 2016. Synchrotron microtomographic quantification of geometrical soil pore characteristics affected by compaction. SOIL 2:211-220.
Chandrasoma, J.M., R.P. Udawatta, S.H. Anderson, A.L. Thompson, and M.A. Abney. 2016. Soil hydraulic properties as influenced by prairie restoration. Geoderma. 283:48-56.
Svoma, B.M., N.I. Fox, Q. Pallardy, and R.P. Udawatta. 2016. Evapotranspiration differences between agroforestry and grass buffer systems. Agricultural Water Management. 176:214-221.
Akdemir, E., S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2016. Influence of agroforestry buffers on soil hydraulic properties relative to row crop management. Soil Science. 181:368-376
Udawatta, R.P., C.J. Gantzer, T.M. Reinbott, R.L. Wright, and R.A. Pierce II. 2016. Yield differences influenced by distance from riparian buffers and CRP. Agronomy Journal 108:647-655.
Sahin, H., S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2016. Water infiltration and soil water content in claypan soils influenced by agroforestry and grass buffers compared to row crop management. Agroforestry Systems 90:839-860.
Weerasekara, C., R.P. Udawatta, S. Jose, R.J. Kremer, and C. Weerasekara. 2016. Soil quality differences in a row-crop watershed with agroforestry and grass buffers. Agroforestry Systems 90:829-838.
Rajper, A.M., R.P. Udawatta, R.J. Kremer, C-Ho Lin, and S. Jose. 2016. Assessing the role of probiotics on soil microbial biomass, communities structure and enzyme activity. Agroforestry Systems 90:811-827.
