Madhav Dhakal, Ph.D.
Crop and Weed Scientist
Email: madhav.dhakal@rodaleinstitute.org
Phone (office): 610-683-1407
Phone (cell): 806-407-7987
Address: 611 Siegfriedale Rd. Kutztown, PA
I am a Crop and Weed Scientist at Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA. My research program focuses on cover crop-based weed management in organic no-till soybean and corn, integrated grain and forage systems, technological adoption & innovation, intercropping, and intensification in regenerative organic systems. The current projects encompass agronomic configurations for no-till soybean, cover crop management, electric weed control, perennial living mulch systems, and industrial hemp-based crop rotation. Before joining Rodale, I was an Agronomist at USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS where he worked on a Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) project. I did my MS in Weed Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and my Ph.D. in plant and soil science from Texas Tech University, USA.
Select Publications
- Kharel, G., M. Dhakal, S.K. Deb, L. Slaughter, C. Simpson, and C.P. West. 2023. Effect of long-term pasture management on soil hydraulic and thermal properties. Plants 12, 1491. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071491
- Dhakal, M., Y. Huang, M.A. Locke, K. Reddy, M. Moore, J. Krutz, G. Drew, and R. Bajgaign. 2022. Assessment of cotton and sorghum stand establishment using UAV-based multispectral and DSLR-based RGB imagery. Agrosys. Geosci. Environ., 5, e20247. doi:10.1002/agg2.20247
- Singh, G., M. Dhakal, A. Sharma, J.E. Schoonover, K.W.J. Williard, and G. Kaur. 2022. Cover Crops and Landscape Positions mediate Corn-Soybean Production. Agrosys. Geosci. Environ., 5, e20249. doi:10.1002/agg2.20249
- Singh, G., M. Dhakal, L. Yang, G. Kaur, K.W. Williard, J.E. Schoonover, and A. Sadeghpour. 2020. Decomposition and nitrogen release of cereal rye and hairy vetch in conventional and no-tillage systems. Agron. J. 112:3605–3618. doi:10.1002/agj2.20268
- Dhakal, M., C.P. West, C. Villalobos, J.O. Sarturi, and S.K. Deb. 2020. Trade-off between nutritive value improvement and crop water use for alfalfa-grass system. Crop Sci. 60:1711-1723. doi:10.1002/csc2.20159
- Dhakal, M., G. Singh, R.L. Cook, and T. Sievers. 2020. Modeling hairy vetch and cereal rye cover crop decomposition and nitrogen release. Agronomy. 10(5), 701. doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10050701
- Dhakal, M., C.P. West, C. Villalobos, P. Brown, P.E. Green. 2020. Interseeding alfalfa into native grassland for enhanced yield and water use efficiency. Agron. J. 112:1931-1942. doi:10.1002/agj2.20147
- Dhakal M., C.P. West, S.K. Deb, C. Villalobos, and G. Kharel. 2020. Row spacing of alfalfa interseeded into native grass pasture influences soil-plant-water relations. Agron. J. 112:274-287. doi:10.1002/agj2.20012
- Dhakal, M., C.P. West, and C. Villalobos. 2019. Establishment and stand development of alfalfa interseeded into native grass mixture: Cultivar and row spacing effects. Crop Sci. 59:2271–2279. doi:10.2135/cropsci2019.03.0156
- Dhakal, M., C.P. West, S.K. Deb, G. Kharel, and G.L. Ritchie. 2019. Field calibration of PR2 capacitance probe in Pullman clay-loam soil of Southern High Plains. Agrosyst. Geosci. Environ. 2:180043 doi:10.2134/age2018.10.0043
- Dhakal, M., S.K. Sah, and G. Kharel. 2019. Integrated weed management in direct-seeded rice: Dynamics and economics. Int. J. Agric. Food Sci. 3:83–92. doi:10.31015/jaefs.2019.2.6
- Dhakal, M., S.K. Shah, A. McDonald, and A.P. Regmi. 2015. Perception and economics of dry direct-seeded rice in Terai of Nepal. J. Agric. Environ. 16:103‒111. doi:10.3126/aej.v16i0.19843
