Ogallala Water

Dr. Ghimire’s research focuses on developing soil and crop management practices that improve efficiency, profitability, and soil environmental quality. He enjoys working on integrated cropping systems research that emphasizes soil conservation, improve crop yields, benefits the farming community. His research projects include:

• Soil-plant-environment interactions in High Plains cropping systems
• Reduced- and no-tillage management in dryland corn-sorghum rotation
• Cover crops for improving agronomic, economic and environmental efficiency of dryland and limited irrigated cropping systems

High Plains cropping systems faces challenges due to low soil fertility, increasing water limitation, and climate variability. Dr. Ghimire believes that identifying and implementing improved soil, water, and crop management practices could help producers in developing sustainable and resilient farming system. His research group evaluates soil organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics, soil water conservation, crop production, and profitability of limited irrigated and dryland cropping systems through adoption of sustainable cropping system strategies.

Links

New Mexico State University
Agricultural Science Center at Clovis

Selected Publications

Ghimire R., U. Norton, P. Bista, A. Obour, and J.B. Norton. 2017. Soil organic matter, greenhouse gases and net global warming potential of irrigated cropping systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. DOI: 10.1007/s10705-016-9811-0.

Ghimire. R. and P. Bista. 2016. Crop diversification improves pH in acidic soils. Journal of Crop Improvement. DOI: 10.1080/15427528.2016.1219894

Bista, P., S. Machado, S. R. Ghimire, S.J. Del-Grosso, and M. Reyes-Fox. 2016. Simulating soil organic carbon in a wheat – fallow system using the DAYCENT model. Agronomy Journal. 108: 6: 2554-2565. DOI:10.2134/agronj2016.04.0202

Ghimire R., S. Machado, and K. Rhinhart. 2015. Long-term crop residue and nitrogen management effects on soil profile carbon and nitrogen in wheat – fallow systems. Agronomy Journal 107:2230-2240. DOI: 10.2134/agronj14.0601.

Bista, P., U. Norton, R. Ghimire, and J.B. Norton. 2015. Greenhouse gas fluxes and soil carbon and nitrogen following single summer tillage. International Journal of Plant and Soil Science 6:183-193. DOI: 10.9734/IJPSS/2015/16234.

Ghimire, R., J.B. Norton, P.D. Stahl, and U. Norton, 2014. Soil microbial substrate properties and microbial community responses under irrigated organic and reduced-tillage crop and forage production systems. PLoS ONE 9(8): e103901. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103901.

Ghimire, R. J.B. Norton, and E. Pendall. 2014. Alfalfa-grass biomass, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen under different management approaches in an irrigated agroecosystem. Plant and Soil 374:173-184. DOI 10.1007/s11104-013-1854-2.