About Myself

I am a Research Agronomist in the Arid Land Agricultural Research Center at United States Department of Agriculture, Maricopa, AZ. I completed B.Sc. (Agriculture) from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Nepal, in 2010. I worked as a District Coordinator for Vegetable Seed Project (VSP-III) at the Center for Environmental and Agricultural Policy Research, Extension, and Development (CEAPRED), Okhaldhunga, from 2012- to 2013. I joined Dryland Agricultural Institute at West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas, in 2014 and completed the MS in 2016. I earned a Ph.D. in 2020 from Texas A&M University. My past and current research focuses on cropping systems, crop simulation modeling, and greenhouse gas emission. I am the leader of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) Soil Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Emissions community I am also a life member of Association of Nepalese Agricultural Professionals of Americas (NAPA). I am serving as a the chair of Research and Capaciaty Building Committee in NAPA.

Current Research

My primary research centers around climate adaptive agriculture to promote environmental sustainability within complex agricultural systems. I specialize in on-site research using sensor technologies and modeling tools to better understand the crop environmental dynamics of a production system, and then investigate how environmental factors affect the production and productivity of an agro ecosystem. My current research focuses on understanding the dynamics of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and developing an emission model in a minimally tilled sorghum–fallow–wheat cropping system in semi-arid Texas High Plains. This study is a part of a multi-state research project that aims to acquire 'gold-standard' data on GHGs (nitrous oxide, cabron oxide, and methane) emissions from a grain-based feedstock production system in the Southern Great Plains. In this study we are measuring high-frequency GHG emissions using some of the most advanced instruments available, such as Tunable Infrared Laser Directed Absorption Spectroscopy (TILDAS), Eddy Covariance system, and an intensive network of sensors.

Current Research

My primary research centers around climate adaptive agriculture to promote environmental sustainability within complex agricultural systems. I specialize in on-site research using sensor technologies and modeling tools to better understand the crop environmental dynamics of a production system, and then investigate how environmental factors affect the production and productivity of an agro ecosystem. My current research focuses on understanding the dynamics of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and developing an emission model in a minimally tilled sorghum–fallow–wheat cropping system in semi-arid Texas High Plains. This study is a part of a multi-state research project that aims to acquire 'gold-standard' data on GHGs (nitrous oxide, cabron oxide, and methane) emissions from a grain-based feedstock production system in the Southern Great Plains. In this study we are measuring high-frequency GHG emissions using some of the most advanced instruments available, such as Tunable Infrared Laser Directed Absorption Spectroscopy (TILDAS), Eddy Covariance system, and an intensive network of sensors.

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon, W.L. Rooney, R. Jessup, J. Enciso, and A. Attia. 2021.Evaluation of the DSSAT CANEGRO model for simulating the growth of energy cane (Saccharum spp.), a biofuel feedstock crop. Crop Science. 62(1), 466-478. DOI 10.1002/csc2.20648
  • Bhandari, M, Q. Xue, S. Liu, B. A. Stewart, J. C. Rudd, P. Pokhrel, B. Blaser, K. Jessup, and J. Baker. 2021.Thermal imaging to evaluate wheat genotypes under dryland conditions. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 4(2)1-9. DOI: 10.1002/agg2.20152
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon, W.L. Rooney, R. Jessup, J. Enciso, and A. Attia. Agronomic Performance of the Lignocellulosic Feedstock Crop Energy Cane in the Texas Rolling. 2020. Agronomy Journal. 112(5), 3816-3831. DOI: 10.1002/agj2.20370
  • Thapa, S., B. A. Stewart, Q. Xue, P. Pokhrel, T. Barkley, and M. Bhandari. 2016. Growing Corn in Clumps Reduces Canopy Temperature and Improves Microclimate. Journal of Crop Improvement. 30(6) 614-631. DOI: 10.1080/15427528.2016.1217445.
    • Book Chapter
  • Stewart, B. A., P. Pokhrel, and M. Bhandari. 2016. Positive and Negative Effects of Phosphorus Fertilizer on U.S. Agriculture and the Environment in R. Lal and B.A. Stewart (eds.) Soil Phosphorus: Advances in Soil Science. CRC Press, FL.DOI: 10.1201/9781315372327

    Selected Presentations/Abstracts

  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, D. Davis, P. Tomlinson and V.G. Kakani. Effect of fallow season CO2 fluxes on annual carbon balance of grain sorghum field in the Northern High Plains of Texas. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Nov 7-9.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, D. Davis, P. Tomlinson and V.G. Kakani. Nitrous Oxide Emission and its Relationship with Ecosystem Respiration and Soil Microclimatic Factors in a Grain Sorghum Field. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Nov 7-9
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, R.W. Schnell, D. Davis, G. Fontana, and V.G. Kakani. Diurnal variations of greenhouse gas fluxes in no-till sorghum cropping system in the Southern Great Plains. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT. Nov 8-10
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, and R. Schnell. 2019. Estimating Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralization from Winter Cereal Cover Crops Residue in Organic Crop Production Systems. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. Nov 10-13.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, and J. Jifon. 2019. Biomass Yield Variation in Energycane Genotypes as Affected by Ratoon. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX. Nov 10-13.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, and J. Jifon. 2019. Optimizing Irrigation Management Strategies for Energycane Production Using Decision Support System. SASA, Birmingham, AL. Feb 3-5.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, and R. Schnell. 2019. Carbon Mineralization from Winter Cereal Cover Crops in an Organic No-till Soybean Production System. SASA, Birmingham, AL. Feb 3-5.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, R. W. Schnell, and D. Zapata. 2019. Effect of Cover Crop Species and Residue Amount on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization. Texas Plant Protection Conference, Bryan, TX. Dec 4-5.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon, and G. Hoogenboom. 2018. Potential of Growing Lignocellulosic Feedstocks in Limited Resources Condition. ASA-CSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Nov 4-7
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, R. W. Schnell, and D. Zapata. 2018. Effect of Cover Crop Residues on Soil Organic Carbon Mineralization in an Organic Soybean Production System. ASA-CSSA International Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD. Nov 4-7
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon, D. Menefee, M. Mikeska, and D. Zapata. 2017. Agronomic Performance of Newly Developed Lignocellulosic Bioenergy Crops in Texas. Texas Plant Protection Conference, Bryan, TX. Dec 6-7.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon. Modeling the Growth of Bioenergy Crops Using DSSAT. 2017. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL. Oct 23-26.
  • Pokhrel, P., N. Rajan, J. Jifon, D. Menefee, M. Mikeska, and D. Zapata. 2017. Agronomic Performance of Newly Developed Lignocellulosic Bioenergy Crops in Texas. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL. Oct 23-26.
  • Pokhrel, P., B. A. Stewart, Q. Xue, S. Thapa, and M. Bhandari. 2015. Concentrating Fertilizer under Clumps of Grain Sorghum to Increase Efficiency. ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN. Nov 15-18