Pichu Rengasamy

Research Interests

Soil Chemistry Soil Degradation Soil Sciences

Dr Pichu Rengasamy

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

College of Science

Dr Rengasamy is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. He is involved in research activities related to soil salinity, soil sodicity and dispersivity, soil processes affecting crop production in salt-affected soils, abiotic stress in alkaline soils, subsoil constraints and the role of exchangeable cations in soil structural stability.

Date Position Institution name
2015 - ongoing Senior Research Fellow The University of Adelaide

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2022 Honour Pioneer in Soil Science Research Soil Science Australia Australia -
2022 Honour Honorary Life Member Soil Science Australia Australia -
2014 Fellowship Soil Science Australia Fellowship Soil Science Australia Australia -

Language Competency
English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR), New Delhi India Ph.D.

Date Title Institution Country
M.Sc., Ph.D. Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR), New Delhi India

Year Citation
2024 Tavakkoli, E., Watts-Williams, S. J., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. K. (2024). Eliciting the aboveground physiological regulation that underlies salinity tolerance in faba bean (Vicia faba L.). Environmental and Experimental Botany, 226, 105849-1-105849-11.
DOI Scopus4 WoS4
2022 Liang, X., Rengasamy, P., Scott, E., & Mosley, L. M. (2022). A simple incubation test for determining soil dispersion and gypsum rates. SOIL RESEARCH, 61(4), 8 pages.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2021 Tavakkoli, E., Uddin, S., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. K. (2021). Field applications of gypsum reduce pH and improve soil C in highly alkaline soils in southern Australia’s dryland cropping region. Soil Use and Management, 38(1), 12 pages.
DOI Scopus30 WoS23
2021 Liang, X., Rengasamy, P., Smernik, R., & Mosley, L. M. (2021). Does the high potassium content in recycled winery wastewater used for irrigation pose risks to soil structural stability?. Agricultural Water Management, 243, 8 pages.
DOI Scopus38 WoS26
2021 Wang, M., Tavakkoli, E., Rengasamy, P., Huang, L., Ma, H., Yang, F., . . . Liang, Z. (2021). Management zone delineation based on soil properties measured during the reproductive stage of rice in the field. Land Degradation and Development, 32(10), 3106-3121.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3
2020 McDonald, G. K., Tavakkoli, E., & Rengasamy, P. (2020). Commentary: Bread Wheat With High Salinity and Sodicity Tolerance. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11, 3 pages.
DOI Scopus7 WoS5 Europe PMC3
2019 de Melo, T. R., Rengasamy, P., Figueiredo, A., Barbosa, G. M. D. C., & Tavares Filho, J. (2019). A new approach on the structural stability of soils: Method proposal. Soil and Tillage Research, 193, 171-179.
DOI Scopus10 WoS8
2018 Rengasamy, P. (2018). Irrigation water quality and soil structural stability: a perspective with some new insights. Agronomy, 8(5), 72-1-72-13.
DOI Scopus53 WoS46
2018 Wang, M. M., Rengasamy, P., Wang, Z. C., Yang, F., Ma, H. Y., Huang, L. H., . . . Liang, Z. W. (2018). Identification of the most limiting factor for rice yield using soil data collected before planting and during the reproductive stage. Land Degradation and Development, 29(8), 2310-2320.
DOI Scopus23 WoS21
2017 McDonald, G., Tavakkoli, E., Cozzolino, D., Banas, K., Derrien, M., & Rengasamy, P. (2017). A survey of total and dissolved organic carbon in alkaline soils of southern Australia. Soil Research, 55(7), 617-629.
DOI Scopus20 WoS15
2016 Fraser, M., Churchman, G., Chittleborough, D., & Rengasamy, P. (2016). Effect of plant growth on the occurrence and stability of palygorskite, sepiolite and saponite in salt-affected soils on limestone in South Australia. Applied Clay Science, 124-125, 183-196.
DOI Scopus2 WoS3
2016 Rengasamy, P., Tavakkoli, E., & McDonald, G. (2016). Exchangeable cations and clay dispersion: net dispersive charge, a new concept for dispersive soil. European Journal of Soil Science, 67(5), 659-665.
DOI Scopus105 WoS93 Europe PMC6
2016 Rengasamy, P. (2016). Soil salinization. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science, Online, 1-33.
DOI
2016 Fraser, M. B., Churchman, G. J., Chittleborough, D. J., & Rengasamy, P. (2016). Reprint of Effect of plant growth on the occurrence and stability of palygorskite, sepiolite and saponite in salt-affected soils on limestone in South Australia. Applied Clay Science, 131, 144-157.
DOI Scopus4 WoS3
2016 Marchuk, S., Churchman, J., & Rengasamy, P. (2016). Possible effects of irrigation with wastewater on the clay mineralogy of some Australian clayey soils: laboratory study. Soil Research, 54(7), 857-868.
DOI Scopus13 WoS13
2016 Rengasamy, P. (2016). Soil chemistry factors confounding crop salinity tolerance - A review. Agronomy, 6(4), 53-1-53-11.
DOI Scopus71 WoS55
2015 Tavakkoli, E., Rengasamy, P., Smith, E., & Mcdonald, G. (2015). The effect of cation-anion interactions on soil pH and solubility of organic carbon. European Journal of Soil Science, 66(6), 1054-1062.
DOI Scopus89 WoS82 Europe PMC17
2014 Brautigan, D., Rengasamy, P., & Chittleborough, D. (2014). Amelioration of alkaline phytotoxicity by lowering soil pH. Crop and Pasture Science, 65(12), 1278-1287.
DOI Scopus15 WoS14
2014 Setia, R., Rengasamy, P., & Marschner, P. (2014). Effect of mono- and divalent cations on sorption of water-extractable organic carbon and microbial activity. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 50(5), 727-734.
DOI Scopus20 WoS16 Europe PMC3
2013 Marchuk, A., Rengasamy, P., & McNeill, A. (2013). Influence of organic matter, clay mineralogy, and pH on the effects of CROSS on soil structure is related to the zeta potential of the dispersed clay. Soil Research, 51(1), 34-40.
DOI Scopus46 WoS41
2013 Setia, R., Rengasamy, P., & Marschner, P. (2013). Effect of exchangeable cation concentration on sorption and desorption of dissolved organic carbon in saline soils. Science of the Total Environment, 465, 226-232.
DOI Scopus71 WoS67 Europe PMC14
2012 Brautigan, D., Rengasamy, P., & Chittleborough, D. (2012). Aluminium speciation and phytotoxicity in alkaline soils. Plant and Soil, 360(1-2), 187-196.
DOI Scopus53 WoS45
2012 Marchuk, A., & Rengasamy, P. (2012). Threshold electrolyte concentration and dispersive potential in relation to CROSS in dispersive soils. Soil Research, 50(6), 473-481.
DOI Scopus40 WoS39
2012 Tavakkoli, E., Fatehi, F., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. (2012). A comparison of hydroponic and soil-based screening methods to identify salt tolerance in the field in barley. Journal of Experimental Botany, 63(10), 3853-3868.
DOI Scopus71 WoS63 Europe PMC38
2012 Marchuk, A., Rengasamy, P., McNeill, A., & Kumar, A. (2012). Nature of the clay-cation bond affects soil structure as verified by X-ray computed tomography. Soil Research, 50(8), 638-644.
DOI Scopus40 WoS37
2012 Tavakkoli, E., Paull, J., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. (2012). Comparing genotypic variation in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in response to salinity in hydroponic and field experiments. Field Crops Research, 127, 99-108.
DOI Scopus35 WoS31 Europe PMC4
2011 Marchuk, A., & Rengasamy, P. (2011). Clay behaviour in suspension is related to the ionicity of clay-cation bonds. Applied Clay Science, 53(4), 754-759.
DOI Scopus76 WoS68
2011 Rengasamy, P., & Marchuk, A. (2011). Cation ratio of soil structural stability (CROSS). Soil Research, 49(3), 280-285.
DOI Scopus227 WoS190
2011 Tavakkoli, E., Fatehi, F., Coventry, S., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. (2011). Additive effects of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions on barley growth under salinity stress. Journal of Experimental Botany, 62(6), 2189-2203.
DOI Scopus476 WoS381 Europe PMC156
2010 Tavakkoli, E., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. (2010). High concentrations of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in soil solution have simultaneous detrimental effects on growth of faba bean under salinity stress. Journal of Experimental Botany, 61(15), 4449-4459.
DOI Scopus528 WoS440 Europe PMC167
2010 Tavakkoli, E., Rengasamy, P., & McDonald, G. (2010). The response of barley to salinity stress differs between hydroponics and soil systems. Functional Plant Biology, 37(7), 621-633.
DOI Scopus153 WoS130 Europe PMC34
2010 Rengasamy, P. (2010). Soil processes affecting crop production in salt-affected soils. Functional Plant Biology, 37(7), 613-620.
DOI Scopus662 WoS568
2010 Rengasamy, P. (2010). Osmotic and ionic effects of various electrolytes on the growth of wheat. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 48(2), 120-124.
DOI Scopus30 WoS26
2010 Elgharably, A., Marschner, P., & Rengasamy, P. (2010). Wheat growth in a saline sandy loam soil as affected by N form and application rate. Plant and Soil, 328(1-2), 303-312.
DOI Scopus32 WoS27
2008 Rengasamy, P. (2008). Salinity in the landscape: A growing problem in Australia. Geotimes, 53(3), 34-39.
Scopus24 WoS20
2006 Rengasamy, P. (2006). World salinization with emphasis on Australia. Journal of Experimental Botany, 57(5), 1017-1023.
DOI Scopus1378 WoS1131 Europe PMC390
2006 Rengasamy, P. (2006). Dryland salinity: Soil processes and management. Annals of Arid Zone, 45(3-4), 425-435.
Scopus3
2004 Harris, M. A., & Rengasamy, P. (2004). Treatment of a potential soil capping for open-cut mines (Part 1): Influence of prior management on response to a phyto-organic amendment. Environmental Geology, 46(1), 15-21.
DOI Scopus2 WoS3
2004 Harris, M., & Rengasamy, P. (2004). Sodium affected subsoils, gypsum, and green-manure: Inter-actions and implications for amelioration of toxic red mud wastes. Environmental Geology, 45(8), 1118-1130.
DOI Scopus24 WoS21
2003 Rengasamy, P., Chittleborough, D., & Helyar, K. (2003). Root-zone constraints and plant-based solutions for dryland salinity. Plant and Soil, 257(2), 249-260.
DOI Scopus120 WoS100
2003 Ma, G., Rengasamy, P., & Rathjen, A. (2003). Phytotoxicity of aluminium to wheat plants in high-pH solutions. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 43(5), 497-501.
DOI Scopus53 WoS49
2002 Surapaneni, A., Olsson, K., Burrow, D., Beecher, H., Ham, G., Stevens, R., . . . Rengasamy, P. (2002). Tatura Sodicity Conference: knowledge gaps in sodicity research for major agricultural industries. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 42(3), 379-387.
DOI WoS5
2002 Rengasamy, P. (2002). Transient salinity and subsoil constraints to dryland farming in Australian sodic soils: an overview. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 42(3), 351-361.
DOI Scopus375 WoS315
2002 Greene, R., Eggleton, R., & Rengasamy, P. (2002). Relationships between clay mineralogy and the hardsetting properties of soils in the Carnarvon horticultural district of Western Australia. Applied Clay Science, 20(4-5), 211-223.
DOI Scopus24 WoS20
2001 Valzano, F., Greene, R., Murphy, B., Rengasamy, P., & Jarwal, S. (2001). Effects of gypsum and stubble retention on the chemical and physical properties of a sodic grey Vertosol in western Victoria. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 39(6), 1333-1347.
DOI WoS25
1997 Tisdall, J., Smith, S., & Rengasamy, P. (1997). Aggregation of soil by fungal hyphae. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 35(1), 55-60.
DOI Scopus159 WoS139
1997 Chorom, M., & Rengasamy, P. (1997). Carbonate chemistry, pH, and physical properties of an alkaline sodic soil as affected by various amendments. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 35, 149-161.
1996 Rengasamy, P., McLeod, A., & Ragusa, S. (1996). Effects of dispersible soil clay and algae on seepage prevention from small dams. Agricultural Water Management, 29(2), 117-127.
DOI
1996 Barzegar, A., Oades, J., & Rengasamy, P. (1996). Soil structure degradation and mellowing of compacted soils by saline-sodic solutions. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 60(2), 583-588.
DOI
1995 Chorom, M., & Rengasamy, P. (1995). Dispersion and zeta potential of pure clays as related to net particle charge under varying pH, electrolyte concentration and cation type. European Journal of Soil Science, 46(4), 657-665.
DOI
1995 Barzegar, A., Rengasamy, P., & Oades, J. (1995). Effects of clay type and rate of wetting on the mellowing of compacted soils. Geoderma, 68(1), 39-49.
DOI
1995 Barzegar, A., Oades, J., Rengasamy, P., & Murray, R. (1995). Tensile strength of dry, remoulded soils as affected by properties of the clay fraction. Geoderma, 65(1), 93-108.
DOI Scopus66
1994 Rahman Barzegar, A., Malcolm Oades, J., Rengasamy, P., & Giles, L. (1994). Effect of sodicity and salinity on disaggregation and tensile strength of an Alfisol under different cropping systems. Soil and Tillage Research, 32(4), 329-345.
DOI Scopus32 WoS31
1994 Barzegar, A. R., Murray, R. S., Churchman, G. J., & Rengasamy, P. (1994). The strength of remoulded soils as affected by exchangeable cations and dispersible clay. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 32(2), 185-199.
DOI Scopus39
1994 Chorom, M., Rengasamy, P., & Murray, R. S. (1994). Clay dispersion as influenced by pH and net particle charge of sodic soils. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 32(6), 1243-1252.
DOI Scopus94

Year Citation
2023 Rengasamy, P., McDonald, G., & Tavakkoli, E. (2023). Managing Multiple Constraints to Crop Production in Dispersive Soils. In N. Bolan, & M. B. Kirkham (Eds.), Soil Constraints and Productivity (pp. 319-341). Taylor & Francis.
DOI Scopus2
2022 Rengasamy, P., De Lacerda, C. F., & Gheyi, H. R. (2022). Salinity, Sodicity and Alkalinity. In Subsoil Constraints for Crop Production (pp. 83-108). Springer International Publishing.
DOI Scopus44
2021 Hopmans, J. W., Qureshi, A. S., Kisekka, I., Munns, R., Grattan, S. R., Rengasamy, P., . . . Taleisnik, E. (2021). Critical knowledge gaps and research priorities in global soil salinity. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Advances in Agronomy (Vol. 169, pp. 1-191). Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier.
DOI Scopus423 WoS346
2019 Mujeeb-Kazi, A., Munns, R., Rasheed, A., Ogbonnaya, F. C., Ali, N., Hollington, P., . . . Rajaram, S. (2019). Breeding strategies for structuring salinity tolerance in wheat. In D. L. Sparks (Ed.), Advances in Agronomy (Vol. 155, pp. 121-187). Cambridge, MA, United States: Academic Press.
DOI Scopus73 WoS61
2014 Rengasamy, P. (2014). Knowledge of soil and land in ancient indian society. In Soil Underfoot Infinite Possibilities for A Finite Resource (pp. 209-212).
DOI
2006 Rengasamy, P. (2006). Soil salinity and sodicity. In Daryl Stevens (Ed.), Growing crops with reclaimed wastewater (pp. 125-138). Collingwood, Vic: CSIRO Publishing.
2002 Rengasamy, P. (2002). Processes, characteristics and classification of sodic soils. In Encyclopedia of Soil Science (pp. 1221-1223). New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.
2002 Rengasamy, P. (2002). Sodic Soils. In Encyclopedia of Soil Science (pp. 1210-1212). New York: Marcel Dekker Inc.
1998 Sumner, M., Rengasamy, P., & Naidu, R. (1998). Sodic soils: a reappraisal. In Sodic soils: distribution, properties, management, and environmental consequences, 1998 (pp. 3-17). Oxford University Press.
1998 Rengasamy, P., & Sumner, M. (1998). Processes involved in sodic behavior. In Sodic soils: distribution, properties, management, and environmental consequences, 1998 (pp. 35-50). Oxford University Press.
1997 Rengasamy, P. (1997). Sodic soils. In Methods for assessment of soil degradation, 1997 (pp. 265-277). CRC Press.
1995 Rengasamy, P., & Olsson, K. (1995). Irrigation and sodicity: a review. In Australian sodic soils: distribution, properties and management, 1995 (pp. 195-204). CSIRO Publications.
1995 Olsson, K., Cockroft, B., & Rengasamy, P. (1995). Improving and managing subsoil structure for high productivity from temperate crops on beds. In Subsoil Management Techniques, 1995 (pp. 35-65). CRC Press.
1995 Naidu, R., Rengasamy, P., De Lacy, N., & Zarcinas, B. (1995). Soil solution composition of some sodic soils. In Australian sodic soils: distribution, properties and management, 1995 (pp. 155-162). CSIRO Publications.
1995 Naidu, R., & Rengasamy, P. (1995). Ion interactions and constraints to plant nutrition in Australian sodic soils. In Australian sodic soils: distribution, properties and management, 1995 (pp. 127-138). CSIRO Publications.

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2011 - 2016 Co-Supervisor The Dynamics of Potassium in Some Australian Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Serhiy Marchuk
2009 - 2013 Principal Supervisor Effect of cations on soil structural stability of salt-affected soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mrs Alla Marchuk
2007 - 2011 Co-Supervisor Limitations to yield in saline-sodic soils: Quantification of the osmotic and ionic regulations that affect the growth of crops under salinity stress Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ehsan Tavakkoli
2007 - 2011 Principal Supervisor Chemistry, Phytotoxicity and Remediation of Alkaline soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr David Brautigan
2006 - 2008 Co-Supervisor Nutrient Availability and Wheat Growth as Affected by Plant Residues and Inorganic Fertilizers in Saline Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Ahmed Elgharably
2006 - 2011 Co-Supervisor The Influence of Soil Genesis, Type and Composition on Constraints to Plant Growth in Salt-Affected Soils in Upper South East South Australia Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Melissa Fraser
2002 - 2005 Co-Supervisor Genetics and Agronomy of Transient Salinity In Triticum durum and T. aestivum Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr David Cooper

Connect With Me

External Profiles

Other Links