Ranjith Udawatta, PhD

Research Professor Emeritus

203 ABNR
Columbia, MO 65211
(573) 882-4347
udawattar@missouri.edu

The primary objective of Dr. Udawatta’s research is to quantify environmental benefits of agroforestry and conservation practices. He studies the influence of agroforestry, grass buffers, and other conservation practices on water and soil quality by examining how trees and grasses change surface and subsurface water quality by reducing runoff, nutrients and sediment when integrated in row crop 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 additional areas of continued focus. Recently, Dr. Udawatta has 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.

Google Scholar Page

Research Foci

  • Water quality
  • Soil heath
  • Watershed management
  • Conservation buffers

Selected Publications

  • Alagele, S.M., Diggins, D.C., Anderson, S.H., Udawatta, R.P. 2023. Cover crop and biofuel crop effects on hydraulic properties for claypan soils. Agroforestry Systems. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment DOI:10.1002/agg2.20384
  • Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2022. Conservation buffers and soil water. Pp. 133-156. in H. Blanco, S. Kumar, and S.H. Anderson (eds.) Soil Hydrology in a Changing Climate. Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Publishing, Clayton South, Victoria, Australia.
  • Al-Awwal, N., Anderson, S.H., El-Dweik, M., Udawatta, R.P., Yang, J., Zaid F. 2023. Effects of conservation buffer systems on adsorption of fluorescent-labeled E. coli. Journal of Environmental Quality 52:303-314. DOI: 10.1002/jeq2.20436
  • Ansari, J., Udawatta, R.P., Anderson, S.H. 2023. Soil nitrous oxide emission from agroforestry, rowcrop, grassland and forests in North America: a review. Agroforest Syst. Doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00870y
  • Kaur, H., Nelson, K.A., Singh, G., Veum, K.S., Davis, M.P., Udawatta, R.P., Kaur, G. 2023. Drainage water management impacts soil properties in floodplain soils in the midwestern, USA. Agricultural Water management 279,108193.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2023.108193
  • Kaur, H., Nelson, K.A., Singh, G., Udawatta, R.P. 2023. Long-term drainage water recycling affects soil health and soil properties. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. In Press
  • Salceda, M., Udawatta, R.P., Anderson, S.H., Mendis, S., Liu, F. 2023. Agroforestry buffers on nitrogen reduction in groundwater on a grazed hillslope. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 2023;6:e20370. DOI: 10.1002/agg2.20370
  • Schultz, R.C., R.P. Udawatta, T.M. Isenhart, and W.W. Simpkins 2022. Riparian and upland buffer practices. Pp 197-271 in H.E. Garrett, S. Jose, M. Gold (eds.) North American Agroforestry: An Integrated Science and Practice 3rd Edition. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). Madison, WI, USA.
  • Udawatta, R.P., S.H. Anderson, R.J. Kremer, and H.E. Garrett. 2022. Agroforestry for Soil Health. Pp 345-376 in H.E. Garrett, S. Jose, M. Gold (eds.) North American Agroforestry: An Integrated Science and Practice 3rd Edition. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). Madison, WI, USA.

Mendis, S.S., Udawatta, R.P., Anderson, S.H., Nelson, K.A., Cordsiemon II, R.L. 2022. Effects of cover crops on soil moisture dynamics of a corn cropping system. Soil Security 8, 2022,100072.  doi.org/10.1016/j.soisec.2022.100072.

Mendis, S.S., Udawatta, R.P., Anderson, S.H., Ansari, J., Salceda, M. 2022. Effects of cover crops on soil thermal properties of a corn cropping system. Soil Science Society of America Journal 86 (5):1194-1205. doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20409

Rankoth, L.M., Udawatta, R.P., Gantzer, C.J., Anderson, S.H. 2022. Cover crop effects on µCT-measured geometrical pore characteristics. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 5, Issue3, 2022, e20284. doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20284

Salceda, M., Udawatta, R.P., Mendis, S.S., Nelson, K.A., Bardhan, S. 2022. Spatial and temporal variability of soil organic carbon on a corn-soybean watershed with 23 years of agroforestry Agronomy Journal 114:440-451. doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20948

Udawatta, R.P., Gantzer, C.J. 2022. Soil and water ecosystem services of agroforestry. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 77 (1):5A-11A. doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2022.1028A

Udawatta, R.P., Walter, D., Jose, S. 2022. Carbon sequestration by forests and agroforests: A reality check for the United States. Carbon Footprints 2022;1:8. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/cf.2022.06

Alagele, S.M., S. Jose, S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2021. Hydraulic lift: processes, methods, and practical implications for society. Agroforestry Systems 95:641-657. Doi.org/10.1007/s10457-021-00614-w

Bayati, M., T.L. Ho, D.C. Vu, F. Wang, E. Rogers, C. Cuvellier, S. Huebotter, E.C. Inniss, R. Udawatta, S. Jose, and C-Ho Lin. 2021. Assessing the efficiency of constructed wetlands in removing PPCPs from treated wastewater and mitigating the ecotoxicological impacts. International journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 231: January 2021, 113664.

Dewanto H.A., Hong S. He, Shibu Jose, and Ranjith P. Udawatta. 2021. Establishing agroforestry conservation buffer zones to protect tropical peatland forests of Indonesia. Pp 331-360 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Dibala, R., S. Jose, and R.P. Udawatta. 2021. Silvopasture for food security for in a changing climate. Pp 173-198 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Favor, K., and R.P. Udawatta. 2021. Belowground services in vineyard agroforestry systems. Pp 65-94 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Jose S., and R.P. Udawatta R.P. 2021. Agroforestry for ecosystem services: an introduction. Pp 1-17 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Page-Dumroese, D.S., F.G. Sanchez, R.P Udawatta, C. Perry, and G. González. 2021. Soil health assessment of forest Soils. Pp 100-138 in D. Karlen (ed.) Approaches to Soil Health Analysis. American Society of Agronomy-Crop Science Society of America-Soil Science Society of America (ASA-CSSA-SSSA). Madison, WI, USA.

Rahayu, K.D., R.P. Udawatta, S. Jose, M. Nathan, Y. Laumonier, and S. Antonius. 2021. Selected soil properties among agroforestry, natural forest, traditional agriculture, and palm oil land uses in Central Kalimantan. Pp 95-111 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Rankoth, L.M., R.P. Udawatta,S.H. Anderson, C.J. Gantzer, and S. Alagele. 2021.Cover crop influence on soil water dynamics for a corn-soybean rotation. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment 2021;4:e20175.10p. DOI:10.1002/agg2.20175

Singh, N., S. Kumar, R.P. Udawatta, S.H. Anderson, L.W. de Jonge, and S. Katuwal. 2021. Grassland conversion to croplands impacted soil pore parameters measured via X-ray computed tomography. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 85:73-84. DOI: 10.1002/saj2.20163

Singh, N., S. Kumar, R.P. Udawatta, S.H. Anderson, L.W. de Jonge, and S. Katuwal. 2021. X-ray micro-computed tomography characterized soil pore networks as influenced by long-term application of manure and fertilizers. Geoderma 385:114872. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114872

Udawatta, R.P. 2021. Flood control and air cleaning regulatory ecosystem services of agroforestry. Pp 305-330 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Udawatta, R.P., and S. Jose. 2021. Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands. 510 p.

Udawatta, R.P, H.E. Garrett, S. Jose, and S.T. Lovell. 2021. Water quality and quantity benefits of agroforestry and processes: long-term case studies from Missouri, USA. Pp 113-139 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Udawatta R.P., L.M. Rankoth, and S. Jose 2021. Agroforestry for biodiversity conservation and improvement. Pp 245-274 in R.P. Udawatta and S. Jose (eds.) Ecosystem Services of Agroforestry. Springer Nature, The Netherlands.

Udawatta, R.P., S. Jose, S.G. Hefner, and K. Brinkman. 2021. Using edge of field monitoring to characterize water quality: a farmer cooperative case study in northern Missouri. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 2021;4:e20205. http://doi.org/10.1002/agg2.20205

Alagele, S., S.H. Anderson and R.P. Udawatta. 2020. Agroforestry, grass, biofuel crop, and row-crop management effects on soil water dynamics for claypan landscapes. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 84:203-219. doi:10.1002/saj2.20026

Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, K.S. Veum, and L.M. Rankoth. 2020. Long-term perennial management and cropping effects on soil microbial biomass for claypan soils. Agronomy Journal. 112:815-827. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20116

Bardhan, S., R.P. Udawatta, S. Jose, C.J. Gantzer, and C. Bobryk. 2020. Phospholipid fatty acid profiling for soil microbial community analysis in soil conservation farming, Missouri. Innovative Farming.

Haruna, S.I., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, C.J. Gantzer, N.C. Phillips, S. Cui. 2020. Improving soil physical properties through the use of cover crops: a review Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 2020;3;e2-105. 18p  DOI:10.1002/agg2.20105.

Singh, N., S. Kumar, R.P. Udawatta, S.H. Anderson, L.W. de Jonge, and S. Katuwal. 2020. Grasslands conversion to croplands impacted soil pore parameters measured using X-ray computed tomography. Soil Science Society of America Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20163

Singh, N., S. Kumar, R.P. Udawatta, S.H. Anderson, L.W. de Jonge, and S. Katuwal. 2020. X-ray micro-computed tomography characterized soil pore networks as influenced by long-term application of manure and fertilizers. Geoderma 385:114872. Doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114872

Udawatta, R.P., C.J. Gantzer, T.M. Reinbott, R.L. Wright, R.A. Pierce II, and W. Wehtje. 2020. Influence of species composition and management on biomass production in Missouri. Agriculture. 10,75. Doi:10.3390/agriculture10030075

Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, R.P. Udawatta, K.S. Veum, and L.M. Rankoth. 2019. Effects of conservation practices on soil quality compared with a corn/soybean rotation on a claypan soil. Journal of Environmental Quality 48:1694-1702. doi:10.2134/jeq2019.03.0121.

Alagele, S.M., S.H. Anderson, and R.P. Udawatta. 2019. Biomass and buffer management practice effects on soil hydraulic properties compared to grain crops for claypan landscapes. Agroforestry Systems. 93:1609-1625. Doi.org/10.1007/s10457-018-0255-1

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. Bds Publishing, Cambridge, UK.

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

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

Cercioglu, 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

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,and K.A. Nelson. 2019. Cover crop effects on corn plant sap flow rates and soil water dynamics. Crop Science. 59:2227-2236. doi:10.2135/cropsci2019.04.0234

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

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

Udawatta, R.P., L.M. Rankoth, and S. Jose. 2019. Agroforestry and biodiversity. Sustainability 11, 02879, 22p. doi:10.3390/su11102879

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 74:111-122. doi:10.2489/jswc.74.2.126

Explore more resources from Dr. Udawatta and the Center for Agroforestry Team.

READ

Download our free technical guide for establishing and maintaining riparian forest buffers.

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WATCH

Dr. Udawatta shares past research projects on conservation buffers at MU research farms.

Watch on YouTube
Dr. Ranjith Udawatta Symposium 2026

Listen

Dr. Ranjith Udawatta offers an overview of his nearly three decades of research investigating the benefits agroforestry provides to soil, water, and air quality for landscapes and communities.

Access the 2026 Symposium lectures
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