Singh Research Group

Sustainable vegetable production encounters many challenges in water scarce arid- and semi-arid areas such as the Southern High Plains. The long-term goal of our research program is to determine the parameters leading to profitable vegetable production by focusing on sensor-based irrigation, nutrient management, stress physiology, disease and pest control, cropping systems, and soil fertility.

Overview

Lab Overview

Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet for humans since they are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Sustainable vegetable production encounters many challenges especially in water scarce arid- and semi-arid areas such as Southern High Plains. Therefore, the long-term goal of my research program is to determine the parameters (varieties, agronomic practices, etc.) leading to a profitable vegetable production (conventional and organic). To achieve this goal, my lab focuses on several aspects of organic and conventional vegetable production.

Our specific focus is on:

Sensor-based irrigation management,
Nutrient management,
Biotic and abiotic stresses physiology,
Disease and pest control,
Cropping systems research, and
Soil fertility management.

My lab members and I have developed research projects targeting several vegetable production systems such as open field, greenhouse and high tunnel. Our open field research assesses the effects of irrigation quantity and timing on physiology and productivity of vegetable crops for optimizing water use efficiency. We are also evaluating various soil amendments such as biochar in the field to enhance soil health and to understand biochar-soil-water interactions. Our greenhouse and high tunnel research projects are focused on optimizing nutrient use efficiency using organic and inorganic fertilizers.

We also work on several non-traditional, alternative crops such as Industrial Hemp for West Texas. The aim of this research is to provide an alternative crop option that fits well in the declining water situation of the Southern High Plains and is beneficial to growers, stakeholders, and industrialists.

People

Lab PI

Sukhbir Singh, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Specialty and Alternative Crops

In addition to his research on determining the parameters leading to a profitable vegetable production in water-scarce regions, Dr. Singh teaches Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture (PSS 2316) and Organic Crop Production Systems (PSS 4323).

See Faculty Profile

Current Lab Members

Lab Alumni

Ved Parkash (Master's Degree)
Bishwoyog Bhattarai (Master's Degree)

Research

Field Research

Our lab is focused to address one of the major issues encountered by the Southern High Plains agriculture, which is water scarcity. We use various irrigation management strategies to optimize water use for sustaining the productivity of important horticultural and non-traditional agronomic crops in the region. We also use soil amendments like biochar to improve soil physical, chemical and biological properties and see how these amendments interact with the deficit irrigation and improve the productivity. We aim to enhance the water use efficiency - “more crop per drop”. We also involve crop growth modeling techniques to provide insights how crops respond to various climate variations.

Controlled Environment/Greenhouse Research

We have research projects in greenhouse year-round. We have various experiments that compare organic vs. inorganic fertilizer treatments for summer and winter crops. Quantitative as well as qualitative parameters analyses are our valuable approach to see the differences in the treatments. We conduct pot as well as hydroponic experiments and apply this knowledge to improve the yield and quality of vegetable crops. Apart from this, salt stress and water stress research projects are being conducted in the greenhouse.

High Tunnel Research

We have two high tunnels (30' x 96' each) where we conduct season extension research. We are looking at the potential of high tunnels production of summer and winter vegetables and see its applicability in Lubbock, TX region. We address the market demand and try to produce the quality of produce that can meet the demand criteria.

Equipment & Facilities

Our research is primarily conducted in facilities located at the FBRI, Quaker Avenue Research Farm, and New Deal Research Farm.

Li-Cor 6800
Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD)
Win-Rhizo scanner
Chlorophyll Meter
Soil Moisture Sensors- PR2 Profile Probe
ACCUPAR Ceptometer
Pressure bomb apparatus
Oven
Incubator

Publications

ORCiD

Shaik, A., H. Singh, S. Singh, T. Montague, and J. Sanchez. 2022. Liquid organic fertilizers effects on growth and biomass of lettuce grown in soilless production system. HortScience. 57: 447-452. doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16334-21.
Regmi, A., S. Singh, N. Moustaid-Moussa, C. Coldren, and C. Simpson. 2022. The negative effects of high rates of biochar on violas can be counteracted with fertilizer. Plants. 11:491. doi.org/10.3390/plants11040491.
Mohawesh, O., A. Albalasmeh, S. Deb, S. Singh, C. Simpson, N. Alkafaween, and A. Mahadeen. 2022. Effect of colored shading nets on the growth and water use efficiency of sweet pepper grown under semiarid conditions. HortTechnology. 32: 21-27. doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH04895-21.
Parkash, V., R. Saini, M. Singh and S. Singh. 2021. Comparison of the effects of ammonium nonanoate and an essential oil herbicide on weed control efficacy and water use efficiency of pumpkin. Weed Technology. 1-24. doi.org/10.1017/wet.2021.89.
Singh, M., P. Singh, S. Singh, R. Saini, and S. V. Angadi. 2021. A global meta-analysis of yield and water productivity responses of vegetables to deficit irrigation. Scientific Reports. Scientific Reports. 11:22095. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01433-w.
Mohawesh, O., A. Albalasmeh, M. Gharaibeh, S. Deb, C. Simpson, S. Singh, B. Al-Soub, and A. E. Hanandeh. 2021. Potential use of biochar as an amendment to improve soil fertility and tomato and bell pepper growth performance under arid conditions. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition. 21: 2946-2956. doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00580-3.
Parkash, V., S. Singh, M. Singh, S. Deb, G. Ritchie, and R. Wallace. 2021. Effect of deficit irrigation on root growth, soil water depletion, and water use efficiency of cucumber. HortScience. 56:1278-1286. doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI16052-21.
Parkash, V., S. Singh, S. Deb, G. Ritchie, and R. Wallace. 2021. Effect of deficit irrigation on physiology, plant growth, and fruit yield of cucumber cultivars. Plant Stress 1:100004. doi.org/10.1016/j.stress.2021.100004.
Parkash, V. and S. Singh (2020). Potential of biochar application to mitigate salinity stress in eggplant. HortScience. 55:1946-1955. doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15398-20.
Parkash, V. and S. Singh (2020). A review on potential plant-based water stress indicators for vegetable crops. Sustainability. 12: 3945. doi.org/10.3390/su12103945.
Bhattarai, B., S. Singh, C. P. West, G. L. Ritchie and C. L. Trostle (2020). Water depletion pattern and water use efficiency of forage sorghum, pearl millet, and corn under water limiting condition. Agricultural Water Management. 238:1-10. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106206.
Bhattarai, B., S. Singh, C. P. West, G. L. Ritchie and C. L. Trostle (2020). Effect of deficit irrigation on physiology and forage yield of forage sorghum, pearl millet, and corn. Crop Science. 60: 2167-2179. doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20171.
Katuwal, K. B., Y. Cho, S. Singh, S. V. Angadi, M. Stamm and S. Begna (2020). Soil water extraction patterns and water use efficiencies of spring canola cultivars under growth-stage-based irrigation management. Agricultural Water Management. 239:1-9. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106232.
Singh, A., S. Deb, S. Singh, P. Sharma and J. Kang (2020). Effects of non-leguminous cover crops on yield and quality of baby corn (Zea mays L.) grown under subtropical conditions. Horticulturae. 6:21. doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae6020021.
Bhattarai, B., S. Singh, S. V. Angadi, S. Begna, R. Saini and D. Auld (2020). Spring safflower water use patterns in response to preseason and in-season irrigation applications. Agricultural Water Management. 228:1-11. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105876.
Singh, M., R. Saini, S. Singh, and S. P. Sharma (2019). Potential of integrating biochar and deficit irrigation strategies for sustaining vegetable production in water limited regions: a review. HortScience. 54:1872-1878. doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14271-19.
Bhattarai, B., S. Singh, C. P. West and R. Saini (2019). Forage potential of pearl millet and forage sorghum alternate to corn in water limiting condition of Texas High Plains - a review. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. 5:190058. doi:10.2134/cftm2019.08.0058.
Pabuayon, I. L. B., S. Singh, and G. Ritchie (2019). Effects of deficit irrigation on yield and oil content of sesame, safflower, and sunflower. Agronomy Journal. 111:3091-3098. doi:10.2134/agronj2019.04.0316.
Pabuayon, I. L. B., S. Singh, K. Lewis, and G. Ritchie (2019). Water extraction and productivity of cotton, sorghum, and sesame under deficit irrigation. Crop Science. 59:1692-1700. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2019.03.0143.
Saini, R. K. and S. Singh (2019). Contribution of cover crops and reduced tillage systems for weed management in organic vegetable production. American Journal of Agricultural Research. 4:24. doi:10.28933/ajar-2018-11-2705.
Saini, R. K. and S. Singh (2019). Use of natural products for weed management in high-value crops: an overview. American Journal of Agricultural Research. 4:25. doi:10.28933/ajar-2018-11-2808.
Katuwal, K. B., S. V. Angadi, S. Singh, Y. Cho, S. Begna and M. R. Umesh (2018). Growth stage based irrigation management on biomass, yield, and yield attributes of spring canola in the Southern Great Plains. Crop Science. 58: 2623-2632. doi:10.2135/cropsci2018.02.0116.
Eder, Z. P., S. Singh, D. Fromme, G. Collins, F. Bourland and G. Morgan (2018). Impact of cotton leaf and bract characteristics on cotton leaf grade. Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management. 4: 170048. doi:10.2134/cftm2017.07.0048.
Eder, Z. P., S. Singh, D. Fromme, G. Collins, F. Bourland and G. Morgan (2017). Cotton harvest aid regimes and their interaction with cotton cultivar characteristics impacting leaf grade. Agronomy Journal. 109: 2714-2722. doi:10.2134/agronj2017.03.0169.
Singh, S., K. J. Boote, S. V. Angadi and K. Grover (2017). Estimating water balance, evapotranspiration and water use efficiency of spring safflower using the CROPGRO model. Agricultural Water Management. 185: 137-144. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2017.02.015.
Singh, S., S. V. Angadi, K. Grover, R. S. Hilaire and S. Begna (2016). Effect of growth stage based irrigation on soil water extraction and water use efficiency of spring safflower cultivars. Agricultural Water Management. 177: 432-439. doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.08.023.
Singh, S., S. V. Angadi, R. S. Hilaire, K. Grover and D. M. VanLeeuwen (2016). Spring safflower performance under growth stage based irrigation management practices. Crop Science. 56: 1878-1889. doi:10.2135/cropsci2015.08.0481.
Singh, S., K. J. Boote, S. V. Angadi, K. Grover, S. Begna and D. Auld (2016). Adapting the CROPGRO model to simulate growth and yield of spring safflower in semi-arid conditions. Agronomy Journal. 108(1): 64-72. doi:10.2134/agronj15.0272.
Singh, S., S. V. Angadi, K. Grover, S. Begna and D. Auld (2016). Drought response and yield formation of spring safflower under different water regimes in the semiarid Southern High Plains. Agricultural Water Management. 163: 354-362. doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2015.10.010.
Singh, S., K. Grover, S. Begna, S. Angadi, M. Shukla, R. Steiner and D. Auld (2014). Physiological response of diverse origin spring safflower genotypes to salinity. Journal of Arid Land Studies. 24(1): 169-174.
Grover, K., M. Shukla, S. Singh, and S. Deb (2013). Soil salinity in irrigated agricultural soils under organic farming system. Ciencia en la Frontera. 11:11-17.
Singh, S., H. S. Bajwa and K. S. Saini (2013). Growth and yield of Bt cotton hybrids (Gossypium hirsutum L.) as influenced by different sowing dates. Indian Journal of Ecology. 40 (1): 163-165.