![Dr Rakesh Awale](/sites/default/files/profiles/39430.jpeg)
Overview
Background
Dr Awale is a post-doctoral fellow in the University of Queensland since 2023 and has been investigating N and P cycling and management in cotton and wheat cropping systems using chemical fertilisers and animal manures (poultry, beef-feedlot, and swine). He received a PhD degree in Soil Science in 2015 from North Dakota State University, USA with primary research focus on soil N cycling with different fertiliser N application rates, timings, and sources including enhanced efficiency N products (urease inhibitor, nitrification inhibitor, urease plus nitrification inhibitors, and polymer-coated urea) and water management practices (subsurface tile-drained vs non-drained) in poorly-drained soils under broadacre cropping systems. Between 2015 to 2018, he worked as a post-doctoral scholar at the Columbia Basin Agricultural Research Centre (Oregon State University, USA), where he looked into SOM dynamics, soil health, soil acidification and fertility, and crop productivity responses to tillage and residue management, crop rotation and intensification, cover cropping, mineral fertiliser application, and biochar, animal manure and crop residue amendments in dryland cropping systems. Dr Awale moved to Australia and joined the Centre for Regional and Rural Futures of Deakin University as a post-doctoral research fellow in 2020. At Deakin, he investigated the effectiveness of poultry litter amendments in improving soil health, fertility, cotton nutrition (N, P, S, Zn) and production in constrained soils of southern NSW.
Availability
- Dr Rakesh Awale is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Agriculture, Tribhuvan University
- Masters (Research) of Agriculture, Arkansas State University-Main Campus
- Doctor of Philosophy of Soil Science, North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Research interests
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Nutrient cycling and management in cropping systems
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Greenhouse gas emissions
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Soil biogeochemical processes and SOM turnover
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Soil health and its assessment
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Remediation of soil constraints and fertility
Research impacts
Dr Awale has devised several N management strategies including the usage of enhanced efficiency fertilisers, split N application, and optimisation of N application to mininise N losses (N2O emission, NH3 volatilisation, and NO3 leaching) and improve plant N use in a variety of soils and cropping systems. He has built a database and evaluated climate/management effects on crop productivity, SOM turnover, and soil health in drylands. He has also identified several soil C and N pools that are more sensitive than bulk SOM to management practices, enabling early detection of SOM stock changes and providing key information on regarding the adoption of management options. Further, his research has provided a novel strategy, biochar amendments, to remedy soil acidification, reverse SOM losses, and ultimately increase crop productivity in drylands. Further, he has provided an effective way to recycle nutrients of animal manures, otherwise waste, into food and fiber production. Dr Awale's delivery of a webinar on soil health assessment has provided a certified crop advisor credits to more than 100 agricultural professionals.
Works
Search Professor Rakesh Awale’s works on UQ eSpace
2023
Journal Article
Using poultry litter for cotton phosphorus nutrition in Australia
Awale, Rakesh, Hornbuckle, John W. and Quayle, Wendy C. (2023). Using poultry litter for cotton phosphorus nutrition in Australia. Agronomy Journal, 115 (2), 909-931. doi: 10.1002/agj2.21199
2022
Journal Article
Poultry litter increased irrigated cotton N uptake with limited improvement on <sup>15</sup>N-labelled urea recovery over one season
Webb, Jackie R., Awale, Rakesh and Quayle, Wendy C. (2022). Poultry litter increased irrigated cotton N uptake with limited improvement on 15N-labelled urea recovery over one season. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 125 (2), 137-152. doi: 10.1007/s10705-022-10251-z
2022
Journal Article
Moldboard plowing in wheat–fallow systems of the Pacific Northwest: effect on yields, organic matter
Singh, Surendra, Awale, Rakesh and Machado, Stephen (2022). Moldboard plowing in wheat–fallow systems of the Pacific Northwest: effect on yields, organic matter. Crops and Soils, 55 (3), 48-51. doi: 10.1002/crso.20189
2022
Journal Article
Soil chemical properties and wheat yields under different tillage and nitrogen rates in eastern Oregon
Awale, Rakesh, Singh, Surendra and Machado, Stephen (2022). Soil chemical properties and wheat yields under different tillage and nitrogen rates in eastern Oregon. Agrosystems, Geosciences and Environment, 5 (3) e20272, 1-14. doi: 10.1002/agg2.20272
2018
Journal Article
Alkaline biochar amendment increased soil pH, carbon, and crop yield
Machado, Stephen, Awale, Rakesh, Pritchett, Larry and Rhinhart, Karl (2018). Alkaline biochar amendment increased soil pH, carbon, and crop yield. Crops and Soils, 51 (6), 38-39. doi: 10.2134/cs2018.51.0604
2018
Journal Article
Soil Carbon, nitrogen, pH, and crop yields in winter wheat-spring pea systems
Awale, Rakesh, Machado, Stephen and Rhinhart, Karl (2018). Soil Carbon, nitrogen, pH, and crop yields in winter wheat-spring pea systems. Agronomy Journal, 110 (4), 1523-1531. doi: 10.2134/agronj2017.07.0371
2017
Journal Article
Soil organic carbon pools as early indicators for soil organic matter stock changes under different tillage practices in inland Pacific Northwest
Awale, Rakesh, Emeson, Micco A. and Machado, Stephen (2017). Soil organic carbon pools as early indicators for soil organic matter stock changes under different tillage practices in inland Pacific Northwest. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 5 96, 1-13. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00096
2017
Journal Article
Enhanced efficiency nitrogen products influence ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emission from two contrasting soils
Awale, Rakesh and Chatterjee, Amitava (2017). Enhanced efficiency nitrogen products influence ammonia volatilization and nitrous oxide emission from two contrasting soils. Agronomy Journal, 109 (1), 47-57. doi: 10.2134/agronj2016.04.0219
2016
Journal Article
Effect of enhanced efficiency fertilizers on nitrous oxide emissions and crop yields: a meta‐analysis
Thapa, Resham, Chatterjee, Amitava, Awale, Rakesh, McGranahan, Devan A. and Daigh, Aaron (2016). Effect of enhanced efficiency fertilizers on nitrous oxide emissions and crop yields: a meta‐analysis. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 80 (5), 1121-1134. doi: 10.2136/sssaj2016.06.0179
2016
Journal Article
Can we reduce rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) nitrogenous fertilizer application rate with addition of nitrapyrin?
Chatterjee, A., Cattanach, N., Awale, R. and Thapa, R. (2016). Can we reduce rainfed maize (Zea mays L.) nitrogenous fertilizer application rate with addition of nitrapyrin?. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 47 (4), 527-532. doi: 10.1080/00103624.2016.1141927
2016
Journal Article
Does crop species diversity influence soil carbon and nitrogen pools?
Chatterjee, Amitava, Cooper, Kelly, Klaustermeier, Aaron, Awale, R. and Cihacek, Larry J. (2016). Does crop species diversity influence soil carbon and nitrogen pools?. Agronomy Journal, 108 (1), 427-432. doi: 10.2134/agronj2015.0316
2015
Journal Article
Tile drainage and nitrogen fertilizer management influences on nitrogen availability, losses, and crop yields
Awale, Rakesh, Chatterjee, Amitava, Kandel, Hans and Ransom, Joel K. (2015). Tile drainage and nitrogen fertilizer management influences on nitrogen availability, losses, and crop yields. Open Journal of Soil Science, 05 (10), 211-226. doi: 10.4236/ojss.2015.510021
2015
Journal Article
Soil moisture controls the denitrification loss of urea nitrogen from silty clay soil
Awale, Rakesh and Chatterjee, Amitava (2015). Soil moisture controls the denitrification loss of urea nitrogen from silty clay soil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 46 (16), 2100-2110. doi: 10.1080/00103624.2015.1069317
2015
Journal Article
Stabilized nitrogen fertilizers and application rate influence nitrogen losses under rainfed spring wheat
Thapa, Resham, Chatterjee, Amitava, Johnson, Jane M. F. and Awale, Rakesh (2015). Stabilized nitrogen fertilizers and application rate influence nitrogen losses under rainfed spring wheat. Agronomy Journal, 107 (5), 1885-1894. doi: 10.2134/agronj15.0081
2013
Journal Article
Tillage and N-fertilizer influences on selected organic carbon fractions in a North Dakota silty clay soil
Awale, Rakesh, Chatterjee, Amitava and Franzen, David (2013). Tillage and N-fertilizer influences on selected organic carbon fractions in a North Dakota silty clay soil. Soil and Tillage Research, 134, 213-222. doi: 10.1016/j.still.2013.08.006
2013
Journal Article
U.S. North‐Central: denitrification loss of fertilizer nitrogen during drought year under soil with high clay content
Awale, Rakesh, Chatterjee, Amitava, Kandel, Hans and Ransom, Joel (2013). U.S. North‐Central: denitrification loss of fertilizer nitrogen during drought year under soil with high clay content. Crops and Soils, 46 (4), 24-32. doi: 10.2134/cs2013-46-4-7
2013
Conference Publication
Sugarbeet soil nitrogen management under subsurface drainage condition
Awale, Rakesh, Charrerjee, Amitava, Kandel, Hans and Cattanach, Norman (2013). Sugarbeet soil nitrogen management under subsurface drainage condition. 37th Biennial Meeting of American Society of Sugarbeet Technologist, Anaheim, CA USA, 27 February-3 March 2013. ASSBT. doi: 10.5274/assbt.2013.72
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Rakesh Awale is:
- Available for supervision
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