Murray Unkovich
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Murray has a BSc in Biology (Murd.) and MSc and PhD in Botany (UWA).
My research career has primarily focussed on the application of stable isotope techniques to study biological processes and the functioning of ecosystems. I have worked for the Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (1991-1998), contributed to the National Land and Water Resources Audit, and the National Sate of the Environment Report, and worked with the Departments of Primary Industries (Victoria and South Australia). I was also involved in developing the national environmental guidelines for reclaimed water use in agriculture. From 2005 until 2015 I worked with CSIRO Land and Water and Climate Change Australia, on the National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) for agriculture. Recent projects have been with The University of Queensland on agricultural development in India, with CSIRO on problems with cropping in sandy soils and with The university of Adelaide on nitrogen mineralisation and nitrogen decision support..
My current interests are in the area of soil conditions and plant growth, especially soil strength, and on biological nitrogen fixation by legumes.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 1999 - ongoing Adjunct lecturer University of Adelaide -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 1998 University of Western Australia Australia PhD 1991 University of Western Australia Australia MSc. 1984 Murdoch University Australia BSc -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2024 Clark, M., Nann, S., Kong, J., & Barker, T. (2024). Effectiveness of NOTES versus traditional techniques on surgical outcomes in adults with diverticulitis: A systematic review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 22(5), 903-912.
2024 Giller, K. E., James, E. K., Ardley, J., & Unkovich, M. J. (2024). Science losing its way: examples from the realm of microbial N<inf>2</inf>-fixation in cereals and other non-legumes. Plant and Soil.
2023 Wu, S., Madridejos, J. M. L., Lee, J. K., Lu, Y., Xu, R., & Zhang, Z. (2023). In situ quantitative single-molecule study of site-specific photocatalytic activity and dynamics on ultrathin g-C<inf>3</inf>N<inf>4</inf> nanosheets. Nanoscale, 15(7), 3449-3460.
Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC12023 Unkovich, M., McBeath, T., Moodie, M., & Macdonald, L. M. (2023). High soil strength and cereal crop responses to deeper tillage on sandy soils in a semi-arid environment. Field Crops Research, 291, 12 pages.
Scopus5 WoS22023 Unkovich, M., McKenzie, D., & Parker, W. (2023). New insights into high soil strength and crop plants; implications for grain crop production in the Australian environment. Plant and Soil, 486(1-2), 183-208.
Scopus9 WoS22023 Manickam, R., Kaur, D. P., Vemula, A., Rathore, A., Unkovich, M., Bellotti, W., . . . Madhavan Nair, R. (2023). Diversifying vegetable production systems for improving the livelihood of resource poor farmers on the East Indian Plateau. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7, 15 pages.
Scopus22023 Pipai, R., McNeill, A., Unkovich, M., Banabas, M., & Nelson, P. N. (2023). Biological nitrogen fixation by legume cover plants in oil palm plantations: calibration of the ureide technique and effects of plantation age and soil nitrate. Plant and Soil, 491(1-2), 665-680.
Scopus12021 Huang, Y., Zhang, Z., Nan, Z., Unkovich, M., & Coulter, J. A. (2021). Effects of cultivar and growing degree day accumulations on forage partitioning and nutritive value of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) on the Tibetan plateau. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 101(9), 3749-3757.
Scopus6 Europe PMC12020 Unkovich, M., McBeath, T., Llewellyn, R., Hall, J., Gupta, V., & Macdonald, L. (2020). Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of semi-arid south and south-eastern Australia. Soil Research, 58(4), 323-334.
Scopus14 WoS112020 La Menza, N. C., Monzon, J. P., Lindquist, J. L., Arkebauer, T. J., Knops, J. M. H., Unkovich, M., . . . Grassini, P. (2020). Insufficient nitrogen supply from symbiotic fixation reduces seasonal crop growth and nitrogen mobilization to seed in highly productive soybean crops. PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT, 43(8), 1958-1972.
WoS25 Europe PMC82020 Unkovich, M., Herridge, D., James, E. K., Giller, K., & Peoples, M. B. (2020). Reliable quantification of N-2 fixation by non-legumes remains problematic. NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS, 118(3), 3 pages.
Scopus11 WoS82018 Unkovich, M., Baldock, J., & Farquharson, R. (2018). Field measurements of bare soil evaporation and crop transpiration, and transpiration efficiency, for rainfed grain crops in Australia - A review. Agricultural Water Management, 205, 72-80.
Scopus50 WoS272016 Sadras, V., Hayman, P., Rodriguez, D., Monjardino, M., Bielich, M., Unkovich, M., . . . Wang, E. (2016). Interactions between water and nitrogen in Australian cropping systems: physiological, agronomic, economic, breeding and modelling perspectives. Crop and Pasture Science, 67(10), 1019-1053.
Scopus108 WoS852015 Bruno, I., Reichardt, K., Bortolotto, R., Pinto, V., Bacchi, O., Dourado-Neto, D., & Unkovich, M. (2015). Nitrogen balance and fertigation use efficiency in a field coffee crop. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 38(13), 2055-2076.
Scopus11 WoS82015 Peoples, M., Chalk, P., Unkovich, M., & Boddey, R. (2015). Can differences in ¹⁵N natural abundance be used to quantify the transfer of nitrogen from legumes to neighbouring non-legume plant species?. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 87, 97-109.
Scopus72 WoS562014 Chalk, P., Peoples, M., McNeill, A., Boddey, R., Unkovich, M., Gardener, M., . . . Chen, D. (2014). Methodologies for estimating nitrogen transfer between legumes and companion species in agro-ecosystems: A review of ¹⁵N-enriched techniques. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 73, 10-21.
Scopus87 WoS772013 Unkovich, M. (2013). Isotope discrimination provides new insight into biological nitrogen fixation. New Phytologist, 198(3), 643-646.
WoS66 Europe PMC212012 Unkovich, M. (2012). Nitrogen fixation in Australian dairy systems: review and prospect. Crop and Pasture Science, 63(9), 787-804.
WoS332012 Herr, A., O'Connell, D., Dunlop, M., Unkovich, M., Poulton, P., & Poole, M. (2012). Second harvest-is there sufficient stubble for biofuel production in Australia?. Global Change Biology. Bioenergy, 4(6), 654-660.
WoS82012 Minchin, F., & Unkovich, M. (2012). John Featherstone Witty 1994 to 2009. PLANT AND SOIL, 356(1-2), 291-293.
2011 Unkovich, M. J., Baldock, J., & Peoples, M. B. (2011). Erratum to: Prospects and problems of simple linear models for estimating symbiotic N<inf>2</inf> fixation by crop and pasture legumes(Plant Soil, (2010), 329, (75-89), 10.1007/s11104-009-0136-5). Plant and Soil, 346(1), 399.
Scopus1 WoS12011 Bruno, I., Unkovich, M., Bortolotto, R., Bacchi, O., Dourado-Neto, D., & Reichhardt, K. (2011). Fertilizer nitrogen in fertigated coffee crop: Absorption changes in plant compartments over time. Field Crops Research, 124(3), 369-377.
Scopus37 WoS252011 Paltridge, N., Grover, S., Gouyi, L., Tao, J., Unkovich, M., Tashi, N., & Coventry, D. (2011). Soils, crop nutrient status and nutrient dynamics on small-holder farms in central Tibet, China. Plant and Soil, 348(1-2), 219-229.
Scopus9 WoS42011 Yang, H., Unkovich, M., McNeill, A., & Wang, X. (2011). Symbiotic N-2 fixation and nitrate utilisation in irrigated lucerne (Medicago sativa) systems. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 47(4), 377-385.
Scopus28 WoS20 Europe PMC12010 Unkovich, M., Baldock, J., & Peoples, M. (2010). Prospects and problems of simple linear models for estimating symbiotic N2 fixation by crop and pasture legumes. Plant and Soil, 329(1-2), 75-89.
Scopus150 WoS1302009 Unkovich, M., Baldock, J., & Marvanek, S. (2009). Which crops should be included in a carbon accounting system for Australian agriculture?. Crop and Pasture Science, 60(7), 617-626.
Scopus17 WoS142009 Paltridge, N., Tao, J., Unkovich, M., Bonamano, A., Gason, A., Grover, S., . . . Coventry, D. (2009). Agriculture in central Tibet: an assessment of climate, farming systems, and strategies to boost production. Crop and Pasture Science, 60(7), 627-639.
WoS222009 Shen, Y., Li, L., Chen, W., Robertson, M., Unkovich, M., Bellotti, W., & Probert, M. (2009). Soil water, soil nitrogen and productivity of lucerne-wheat sequences on deep silt loams in a summer dominant rainfall environment. Field Crops Research, 111(1-2), 97-108.
Scopus51 WoS46 Europe PMC32008 Unkovich, M., & Baldock, J. (2008). Measurement of asymbiotic N₂ fixation in Australian agriculture. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 40(12), 2915-2921.
Scopus57 WoS35 Europe PMC52008 Huang, G., Zhang, R., Li, G., Li, L., Chan, K., Heenan, D., . . . Bellotti, W. (2008). Productivity and sustainability of a spring wheat-field pea rotation in a semi-arid environment under conventional and conservation tillage systems. Field Crops Research, 107(1), 43-55.
Scopus109 WoS78 Europe PMC52008 Unkovich, M., & Nan, Z. (2008). Problems and prospects of grassland agroecosystems in western China. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 124(1-2), 1-2.
WoS17 Europe PMC12008 Nolan, S., Unkovich, M., Yuying, S., Lingling, L., & Bellotti, W. (2008). Farming systems of the Loess Plateau, Gansu Province, China. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 124(1-2), 13-23.
WoS59 Europe PMC42006 Harris, R., Unkovich, M., & Humphris, J. (2006). Mineral nitrogen supply from pastures to cereals in three northern Victorian environments. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 46(1), 59-70.
Scopus5 WoS32003 Unkovich, M., Blott, K., Knight, A., Mock, I., Rab, A., & Portelli, M. (2003). Water use, competition, and crop production in low rainfall, alley farming systems of south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 54(8), 751-762.
WoS222003 Pearson, C. J., Zuo, H., Valentine, I., & Unkovich, M. (2003). Sustainability of Grazing Systems: Feed Base, Critical Grazing Pressure and Variability. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability, 1(2), 95-107.
2001 Evans, J., McNeill, A., Unkovich, M., Fettell, N., & Heenan, D. (2001). Net nitrogen balances for cool-season grain legume crops and contributions to wheat nitrogen uptake: a review. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 41(3), 347-359.
Scopus118 WoS972000 Unkovich, M. J., & Pate, J. S. (2000). An appraisal of recent field measurements of symbiotic N<inf>2</inf> fixation by annual legumes. Field Crops Research, 65(2-3), 211-228.
Scopus298 WoS240 Europe PMC382000 Unkovich, M. J., Pate, J. S., Lefroy, E. C., & Arthur, D. J. (2000). Nitrogen isotope fractionation in the fodder tree legume tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus) and assessment of N<inf>2</inf> fixation inputs in deep sandy soils of Western Australia. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 27(10), 921-929.
Scopus29 WoS302000 Grigg, A. M., Pate, J. S., & Unkovich, M. J. (2000). Responses of native woody taxa in Banksia woodland to incursion of groundwater and nutrients from bordering agricultural land. Australian Journal of Botany, 48(6), 777-792.
Scopus25 WoS25 Europe PMC51999 Tang, C., Unkovich, M. J., & Bowden, J. W. (1999). Factors affecting soil acidification under legumes. III. Acid production by N<inf>2</inf>-fixing legumes as influenced by nitrate supply. New Phytologist, 143(3), 513-521.
Scopus81 WoS73 Europe PMC51998 Unkovich, M. J., & Pate, J. S. (1998). Symbiotic effectiveness and tolerance to early season nitrate in indigenous populations of subterranean clover Rhizobia from S.W. Australian pastures. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 30(10-11), 1435-1443.
Scopus21 WoS21 Europe PMC21998 Pate, J. S., Unkovich, M. J., Erskine, P. D., & Stewart, G. R. (1998). Australian mulga ecosystems - <sup>13</sup>C and <sup>15</sup>N natural abundances of biota components and their ecophysiological significance. Plant, Cell and Environment, 21(12), 1231-1242.
Scopus47 WoS431998 Jamieson, N., Barraclough, D., Unkovich, M., & Monaghan, R. (1998). Soil N dynamics in a natural calcareous grassland under a changing climate. BIOLOGY AND FERTILITY OF SOILS, 27(3), 267-273.
WoS411998 Unkovich, M., Jamieson, N., Monaghan, R., & Barraclough, D. (1998). Nitrogen mineralisation and plant nitrogen acquisition in a nitrogen-limited calcareous grassland. ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY, 40(3), 209-219.
WoS151997 Unkovich, M. J., Pate, J. S., & Sanford, P. (1997). Nitrogen fixation by annual legumes in Australian Mediterranean agriculture. Australian Journal of Agriculture Research, 48(3), 267-293.
Scopus108 WoS991997 Armstrong, E. L., Heenan, D. P., Pate, J. S., & Unkovich, M. J. (1997). Nitrogen benefits of lupins, field pea, and chickpea to wheat production in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Agriculture Research, 48(1), 39-47.
Scopus57 WoS511996 Unkovich, M. J., Sanford, P., & Pate, J. S. (1996). Nodulation and nitrogen fixation by subterranean clover in acid soils as influenced by lime application, toxic aluminium, soil mineral N, and competition from annual ryegrass. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 28(4-5), 639-648.
Scopus22 WoS241996 Erskine, P. D., Stewart, G. R., Schmidt, S., Turnbull, M. H., Unkovich, M., & Pate, J. S. (1996). Water availability - A physiological constraint on nitrate utilization in plants of Australian semi-arid mulga woodlands. PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT, 19(10), 1149-1159.
WoS481995 Sanford, P., Pate, J. S., Unkovich, M. J., & Thompson, A. N. (1995). Nitrogen fixation in grazed and ungrazed subterranean clover pasture in south-west Australia assessed by the 15N natural abundance technique. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 46(7), 1427-1443.
Scopus37 WoS371995 Unkovich, M. J., Pate, J. S., Armstrong, E. L., & Sanford, P. (1995). Nitrogen economy of annual crop and pasture legumes in southwest Australia. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 27(4-5), 585-588.
Scopus18 WoS161995 Bolger, T. P., Pate, J. S., Unkovich, M. J., & Turner, N. C. (1995). Estimates of seasonal nitrogen fixation of annual subterranean clover-based pastures using the<sup>15</sup>N natural abundance technique. Plant and Soil, 175(1), 57-66.
Scopus51 WoS481994 Unkovich, M. J., Pate, J. S., & Hamblin, J. (1994). The nitrogen economy of broadacre lupin in southwest Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(1), 149-164.
Scopus46 WoS381994 Armstrong, E. L., Pate, J. S., & Unkovich, M. J. (1994). Nitrogen balance of field pea crops in south western Australia, studied using the 15N natural abundance technique. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 21(4), 533-549.
Scopus53 WoS551994 Unkovich, M. J., Pate, J. S., Sanford, P., & Armstrong, E. L. (1994). Potential precision of the δ<sup>15</sup>N natural abundance method in field estimates of nitrogen fixation by crop and pasture legumes in south-west Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(1), 119-132.
Scopus166 WoS3391994 Pate, J. S., Unkovich, M. J., Armstrong, E. L., & Sanford, P. (1994). Selection of reference plants for <sup>15</sup>N natural abundance assessment of N<inf>2</inf> fixation by crop and pasture legumes in south-west Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(1), 133-147.
Scopus71 WoS651994 Sanford, P., Pate, J. S., & Unkovich, M. J. (1994). A survey of proportional dependence of subterranean clover and other pasture legumes on N<inf>2</inf> fixation in south-west Australia utilizing <sup>15</sup>N natural abundance. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(1), 165-181.
Scopus50 WoS471993 UNKOVICH, M., PATE, J. S., & SANFORD, P. (1993). PREPARATION OF PLANT-SAMPLES FOR HIGH-PRECISION NITROGEN ISOTOPE RATIO ANALYSIS. COMMUNICATIONS IN SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT ANALYSIS, 24(15-16), 2093-2106.
WoS311993 STEWART, G. R., PATE, J. S., & UNKOVICH, M. (1993). CHARACTERISTICS OF INORGANIC NITROGEN ASSIMILATION OF PLANTS IN FIRE-PRONE MEDITERRANEAN-TYPE VEGETATION. PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT, 16(4), 351-363.
WoS681993 PATE, J. S., STEWART, G. R., & UNKOVICH, M. (1993). N-15 NATURAL ABUNDANCE OF PLANT AND SOIL COMPONENTS OF A BANKSIA WOODLAND ECOSYSTEM IN RELATION TO NITRATE UTILIZATION, LIFE FORM, MYCORRHIZAL STATUS AND N2-FIXING ABILITIES OF COMPONENT SPECIES. PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT, 16(4), 365-373.
WoS1021991 HAMILTON, S. D., CHALK, P. M., UNKOVICH, M. J., HOPMANS, P., & SMITH, C. J. (1991). THE MEASUREMENT OF FERTILIZER-S UPTAKE BY PLANTS USING RADIOACTIVE AND STABLE ISOTOPES. APPLIED RADIATION AND ISOTOPES, 42(11), 1099-1101.
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Books
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Book Chapters
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Conference Papers
Year Citation 2021 Jiang, S., Wang, J., Wang, S., & Zhao, J. (2021). Research on motion driving and tracking control of 3-DOF parallel stabilized platform. In C. Peng, & J. Sun (Eds.), 2021 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 40TH CHINESE CONTROL CONFERENCE (CCC) (pp. 2784-2789). PEOPLES R CHINA, Shanghai: IEEE.
WoS12016 Migale, R., MacIntyre, D. A., Cacciatore, S., Lee, Y. S., Herbert, B. R., Waddington, S. N., . . . Bennett, P. R. (2016). Relative Contribution of Hormonal and Inflammatory Pathways to Uterine Transcriptome Dynamics in Term and Preterm Labor. In REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES Vol. 23 (pp. 125A). CANADA, Montreal: SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC. 2008 Paltridge, N., Tao, J., Unkovich, M., Tashi, N., & Coventry, D. (2008). A preliminary survey of cropping systems in Tibet. In Proceedings of the 14th Australian Agronomy Conference (pp. 1-4). Australia: The Regional Institute Ltd. 2008 Wang, X., Shen, Y., Xie, T., & Unkovich, M. (2008). Tillage systems and biological nitrogen fixation of soybean (Glycine max). In Proceedings of the XXI International Grassland Congress (pp. 391). China: Guandong People's Publishing House. 2008 Unkovich, M., Yang, H., McNeill, A., & Wang, X. (2008). Nitrogen fixation in irrigated lucern (Medicago sativa) systems assessed using ¹⁵N natural abundance. In Proceedings of the XXI International Grassland Congress (pp. 335). China: Guandong People's Publishing House. 2008 McNeill, A., Adcock, D., Wilhelm, N., Unkovich, M., & Armstrong, R. (2008). Crop production responses to soil amelioration treatments on an infertile sand over clay in South Australia. In Proceedings of the14th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference (pp. 1-4). Australia: Australian Society of Agronomy. 2008 Dunlop, M., Poulton, P., Unkovich, M., Baldock, J., Herr, A., Poole, M., & O'Connell, D. (2008). Assessing the availability of crop stubble as a potential biofuel resource. In Proceedings of the 14th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference (pp. 1-5). Australia: Australian Society of Agronomy. 2008 Harris, R., Gaydon, D., Bellotti, W., Unkovich, M., & Robertson, M. (2008). Simulating competition between cereal and lucerne grown in mixture. In Proceedings of the 14th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference (pp. 1-5). Australia: Aust Govt. 2008 Shen, Y., Unkovich, M., & Nan, Z. (2008). Integrating forage into traditional farming system in the western Loess Plateau, China - Challenges, constraints and the future. In Proceedings of the IGC/IRC Joint Meeting (pp. 185-189). China: Guangdong. 2002 Campbell, D. G. (2002). Semantic markup for literary scholars: How descriptive markup affects the study and teaching of literature. In E. G. Toms (Ed.), ASIST 2002: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 65TH ASIST ANNUAL MEETING, VOL 39, 2002 Vol. 39 (pp. 171-180). PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA: INFORMATION TODAY INC.
DOI2001 Unkovich, M., & Pate, J. S. (2001). Assessing N<sub>2</sub> fixation in annual legumes using <SUP>15</SUP>N natural abundance. In M. Unkovich, J. Pate, A. McNeill, & D. J. Gibbs (Eds.), STABLE ISOTOPE TECHNIQUES IN THE STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES AND FUNCTIONING OF ECOSYSTEMS Vol. 40 (pp. 103-118). UNIV WESTERN AUSTRALIA, CSIRO FLOREAT LAB, PERTH, AUSTRALIA: SPRINGER.
WoS111999 Pate, J. S., & Unkovich, M. J. (1999). Measuring symbiotic nitrogen fixation: case studies of natural and agricultural ecosystems in a Western Australian setting. In M. C. Press, J. D. Scholes, & M. G. Barker (Eds.), PHYSIOLOGICAL PLANT ECOLOGY (pp. 153-173). UNIV YORK, YORK, ENGLAND: BLACKWELL SCIENCE PUBL.
WoS91998 Unkovich, M., Sanford, P., Pate, J., & Hyder, M. (1998). Effects of grazing on plant and soil nitrogen relations of pasture-crop rotations. In AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Vol. 49 (pp. 475-485). MOORA, AUSTRALIA: CSIRO PUBLISHING.
DOI WoS35
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Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2010 - 2014 Co-Supervisor Biological nitrogen fixation by cover legumes under oil palm plantations in Papua New Guinea Master of Agricultural Science Master Full Time Ms Rachel Pipai 2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Identifying the Cause of Cereal Yield Decline in Lucerne Companion Cropping Systems; and the Role of Agronomy for Mitigating Cereal Productivity Losses Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Robert Harris
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