Sushil Thapa

Dr. Sushil Thapa joined the University of Central Missouri in August 2020. Previously, he worked with the Texas A&M University. Over the years, Dr. Thapa received several academic awards and scholarships, including two prestigious awards in the Texas A&M - the “Award of Excellence” and the “Special Achievement Award for Research Collaboration.” In 2013, he was selected for the “Future Leader Fellowship Program” by the Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD), Washington, D.C. He also received the Dutch Government Scholarship and Chinese Government Scholarship to pursue his higher education.

Dr. Thapa earned his Ph.D. in Systems Agriculture/Agronomy from West Texas A&M University in Texas and M.S. in Agro Ecology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. His teaching and research interests are focused on cropping systems, whole plant physiology, soil nutrient management, soil-plant-water-environment interaction, biotic and abiotic stress management in field and forage crops, and precision agriculture and remote sensing.

Dr. Thapa’s productivity has resulted in more than 75 publications in the forms of journal articles, book chapters, extension materials, and scientific abstracts, including 20+ peer-reviewed journal articles as the first author. His research results are presented in several international events and articles are published in well-recognized venues. 

Currently, Dr. Thapa is serving as the Reviewing Editor of Journal of Crop Improvement, Editor of the Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Sciences, and Editor-in-Chief of Agri-Connection Newsletter. He is also a reviewer for more than 20 scientific journals of agronomy, crop physiology, climate change, and sustainable agriculture. In 2022, he received the Outstanding Reviewer Award from Agronomy (international journal). Dr. Thapa is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success, American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, and Crop Science Society of America.

 

Courses taught:

• AGRI 1100: Strategies for Success in the UCM Ag. Program
• AGRI 1310: Agronomy I: Row Crops
• AGRI 2315: Agronomy II: Forages
• AGRI 2130: Global Agriculture
• AGRI 2321: Soils
• AGRI 3210: Soil and Water Management
• AGRI 3320: Field Crop Management
• AGRI 3610: Agricultural Pest Management
• AGRI 3810: Internship in Agriculture
• AGRI 4300: Soil Fertility and Fertilizers
• AGRI 4340: Agricultural Sprays and Chemicals (weed science focused)

Recent peer-reviewed journal articles (2017 – Present):

• Thapa, S., A. Bhandari, R. Ghimire, Q. Xue, F. Kidwaro, S. Ghatrehsamani, B. Maharjan, and M. Goodwin. 2021. Managing micronutrients for improving soil fertility, health, and soybean yield. Sustainability 13, 11766. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111766

• Thapa, S., B.A. Stewart, E. Ashiadey, Q. Xue, B.C. Blaser, and R. Shrestha. 2021. Transpiration efficiency of corn hybrids at different growth stages. Journal of Crop Improvement. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427528.2021.1972376

• Thapa, S., J.C. Rudd, K.E. Jessup, S. Liu, R.N. Devkota, and J. Baker, and Q. Xue. 2021. Middle portion of the wheat culm remobilizes more carbon reserve to grains. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 204: 347-358. https://doi.org/10.1111/jac.12508

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, and B.A. Stewart. 2020. Alternative planting geometries reduce production risk in corn and sorghum in water-limited environments.  Agronomy Journal 112(4): 3322-3334. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20347

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, T. Marek, W. Xu, D., Porter, and K. Jessup. 2020. Corn production under restricted irrigation in the Texas High Plains. Agronomy Journal 112(2): 1190-1200. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20003

• Jiang W., S. Thapa, Q. Xue, K.E. Jessup, and T. Marek. 2020. Corn response to later than traditional planting dates in the Texas High Plains. Crop Science 60(2): 1004-1020 https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20042

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, K.E. Jessup, J.C. Rudd, S. Liu, R.N. Devkota, and J. Baker. 2019. Soil water extraction and use by winter wheat cultivars under limited irrigation in a semi-arid environment. Journal of Arid Environment 174: 104046 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2019.104046

• Shrestha, R., S. Thapa, Q. Xue, B.A. Stewart, B. Blaser, and E.K. Ashiadey. 2019. Winter wheat response to climate change under irrigated and dryland conditions in the U.S. Southern High Plains. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 75(1) 112-122. doi: 10.2489/jswc.75.1.112

• Thapa, S., J.C. Rudd, Q. Xue, M. Bhandari. S.K. Reddy, K.E. Jessup, S. Liu, R.N. Devkota, J. Baker, and S. Baker. 2019. Use of NDVI for characterizing winter wheat response to water stress in a semi-arid environment. Journal of Crop Improvement 33(5): 633-648. doi:10.1080/15427528.2019.1648348

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, K.E. Jessup, J.C. Rudd, S. Liu, T.H. Marek, R.N. Devkota, J.A. Baker, and S. Baker. 2019. Yield determination in winter wheat under different water regimes. Field Crops Research 233: 80-87. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2018.12.018

• Thapa, S., B.A. Stewart, Q. Xue, M.B. Rhoades, B. Angira, and J. Reznik. 2018. Canopy temperature, grain yield, and harvest index in corn as affected by planting geometry in a semi-arid environment. Field Crops Research 227: 110-118. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2018.08.009

• Stewart, B.A., S. Thapa, Q. Xue, and R. Shrestha. 2018. Climate change effect on winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields in U.S. Great Plains. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 73(6): 601-609. doi:10.2489/jswc.73.6.601

• Thapa, S., S.K. Reddy, M.P. Fuentealba, Q. Xue, J.C. Rudd, and S. Liu. 2018. Physiological responses to water stress and yield of winter wheat cultivars differing in drought tolerance. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 204(4): 347-358. doi:10.1111/jac.12263

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, K.E. Jessup, J.C. Rudd, S. Liu, R.N. Devkota, and J. Baker. 2018. Canopy temperature depression at grain filling correlates to winter wheat yield in the U.S. Southern High Plains. Field Crops Research 217:11-19. doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2017.12.005

• Thapa, S., Q. Xue, K.E. Jessup, J.C. Rudd, S. Liu, G.P. Pradhan, R.N. Devkota, and J. Baker. 2017. More recent wheat cultivars extract more water from greater soil profile depths to increase yield in the Texas High Plains. Agronomy Journal 109: 1-10. doi:10.2134/agronj2017.02.0064

• Thapa, S., and E.A. Lantinga. 2017. Growing coffee in shade: A strategy to minimize the prevalence of Coffee White Stem Borer, Xylotrechus quadripes. Southwestern Entomologist 42(2): 357-362. doi: 10.3958/059.042.0205

• Thapa, S., B.A. Stewart, Q. Xue, and Y. Chen. 2017. Manipulating plant geometry to improve microclimate, grain yield, and harvest index in grain sorghum. PLOS ONE 12(3): e0173511. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0173511

• Thapa, S., B.A. Stewart, and Q. Xue. 2017. Grain sorghum transpiration efficiency at different growth stages. Plant, Soil and Environment 63: 70-75. doi:10.17221/796/2016-PSE