Principal investigator
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Dr. Malinda Thilakarathna Assistant Professor in Agronomy and Plant-microbial InteractionsPhD (Biology), Dalhousie University, NS, Canada PDF (Plant Microbial Interactions, Agronomy), University of Guelph, Canada MSc (Crop Science), Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka BSc (Agriculture), Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Awards Outstanding Associate Editor – Canadian Journal of Plant Science (2023) Faculty of ALES Tyrchniewicz Innovative Teaching Award (2023) Faculty of ALES Teacher of the Year (2023) Faculty of ALES Research and Innovation Award (2022) Early Career Agronomist Award (2021) – Canadian Society of Agronomy Editorial Associate Editor in Canadian Journal of Plant Science (2021 – present) |
| Postdoctoral Researchers | |
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Dr. Pramod Rathor Project: Effect of soil amendments on plant growth and stress tolerance |
| Graduate students | |
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Chathuranga De Silva PhD Student Project: Belowground nitrogen transfer from legumes no non-legumes |
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Aayushi Rambia PhD Student Project: Composed-based bioinoculants on soil microbial diversity under crop rotations |
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Dayani Patuwatha Withanage PhD Student Project: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on wheat performance under crop rotations |
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Nithinkumar KadagondaVisiting PhD Student Project: Mycorrhizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria on wheat growth
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Michele Tran MSc student Project: Effect of Cicer milkvetch on soil carbon, nutrient availability, and soil microbiome in mixed prairie grassland |
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Tianyi Zhao MSc Student Project: Effect of soil amendments on alleviating drought stress |
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Oshadhi Athukorala ArachchigeMSc Student Project: Effect of humic-based soil amendment on symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legumes
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Keshav Bhattarai MSc Student (Co-supervision) Project: Cropping systems diversification with forage seed crops in terms of productivity, profitability, soil health, nitrogen use efficiency, and greenhouse emission using holos modeling |
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Prabhat PanditMSc Student (Co-supervision) Project: Long-term fertilization practices on plant drought responses and nutrient uptake performances |
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Ashmita TimsinaMSc Student (Course-based)
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| Undergraduate Research Assistants |
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Nithesh Liyanaarachchi |
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Lab Alumni
Postdoctoral Research Fellows
Dr. Rhea Lumactud – Current position: Assistant Professor at Dalhousie University
Dr. Dhanuja Abesinghe
Graduate Students
Dilrukshi Liyanage (MSc student) – Current position: PhD student at the University of Guelph
Danielito Dollete (MSc student) – Current position: Associate Professor II Rank, Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Undergraduate Students
Michele Tran – Current position: MSc student at the University of Alberta
Vianne Rouleau (NSERC USRA scholar)
Bailey Dickie
Zachary Burgess-Akitt
July 2024
Aug 2022
May 2022