Vanaja Kankarla is an Assistant Professor - Soil Science in the Department of Marine
and Earth Sciences at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Fort Myers, Florida. She
was born and grew up in southern India, Hyderabad. She was raised in a highly disciplined
Army family, she grew up traveling across India and was always surrounded by cosmopolitan
culture. She discovered her interest in agricultural science while working with rural
Indian communities. Dr. Kankarla graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture
from Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, India.
In 2013, she moved to the US to pursue a Master’s degree in Plant and Soil Sciences
from Tennessee State University, Nashville TN. In 2019, she graduated with her doctorate
in Plant and Environmental Science from New Mexico State University. Dr. Kankarla
completed her two years of postdoctoral research at Texas A&M University, and in 2022,
she began an Assistant Professor appointment in the Marine and Earth Science Department
at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Her research combines agronomy, soil science, crop-weed nutrient management, and competition
studies, and developing decision support tools for solving agricultural and environmental
challenges. She loves to work with students who are enthusiastic about research. She
enjoys teaching, mentoring, and watching curious young minds learn and grow.
Over the last few years, her work has been recognized with many awards, including
the 2022 Postdoctoral Research Award in recognition of outstanding research from the
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A&M University, the 2019 Dean’s Award
of Excellence in recognition of outstanding graduate student achievement from the
Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, NMSU, and the 2018 ‘Young Innovators
Creating a Better World for All’ award by the Women Economic Forum (WEF). She has
been associated with ASA-CSA-AASA for many years now and she is engaged with various
committees within the ASA societies. She is a review editor on the editorial board
of Agrosystems, Geosciences, and Environment (AGE), Associate Editor of the Journal
of Environmental Quality (JEQ), and a review panelist on Natural Sciences Education
(NSE), Journal of the American Society of Agronomy. She is exploring her way while
showcasing her research by taking up new leadership roles in society. Finally, Dr.
Kankarla has positioned herself as one of agricultural science’s most promising young
women scientists.
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Education
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- PhD in Plant and Environmental Science- Soil Science, New Mexico State University
- Masters in Plant and Soil Science, Tennessee State University
- Bachelors in Agriculture Science from Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University, India
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Specialties
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- Soil Salinity
- Soil fertility and nutrient management
- Forage and food crops, biofuels, weeds and crop competition studies
- Introductory Precision Agriculture
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Research and Teaching Interests
Toggle Research and Teaching InterestsHer research combines agronomy, soil science, crop-weed nutrient management, competition
studies, and developing decision support tools for solving agricultural and environmental
challenges. She loves to work with students who are enthusiastic about research. She
enjoys teaching, mentoring, and watching curious young minds learn and grow. Currently,
she teaches Introduction to Soil Science, Introduction to Environmental Science, Earth
Science, Introduction to Agriculture Science, Intro to Precision Agriculture, Soil
fertility, and nutrient management. She plans to expand her research in the field
of Soil Health, fertility, and nutrient management
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Courses Offered
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- Introduction to Environmental Science
- Introduction to Soil Science
- Earth Science
- Introduction to Agriculture Science
- Intro to Precision Agriculture
- Soil fertility and nutrient management
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Publications
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- Kezar, S.E., Zander, A., Kankarla, V., Sharma, S., Lofton, J. (2022) Response of Simulated
Stress in Soybean Production Systems: Growth Parameters & Yield (Submitted to Agrosystems,
Geosciences & Environment)
- Kezar, S.E., Manucheri, M., Kankarla, V., and Lofton, J. (2022) Impact of planting
date on herbicide programs in southern great plains soybean systems (Submitted to
Agronomy Journal)
- McLennon, E., Dari, B., Jha, G., Sihi, D., & Kankarla, V. (2021). Regenerative agriculture
and integrative permaculture for sustainable and technology-driven global food production
and security. Agronomy Journal, 113(6), 4541–4559. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20814
- Jha, G., Kankarla, V., Mclennon, E., Pal, S., Sihi, D., & Dari, B. (2021). Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Integrated Crop – Livestock Systems: Environmental
Exposure and Human Health Risks. 1–21.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., & Lauriault, L. M. (2021). A Preliminary Report on the
Influence of Various Saline Irrigation Waters on Nutritive Value upon Establishment
of Alfalfa and Triticale as Representative Forages. 4472(9), 189–193.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., & Picchioni, G. A. (2021). Root growth, architecture,
and ion uptake of alfalfa and triticale irrigated with brackish groundwater and reverse
osmosis concentrate. Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment, 4(2), 1–9.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., Picchioni, G. A., VanLeeuwen, D., & Schutte, B. J. (2020).
Germination and emergence responses of alfalfa, triticale, and quinoa irrigated with
brackish groundwater and desalination concentrate. Agronomy, 10(4).
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., VanLeeuwen, D., Schutte, B. J., & Picchioni, G. A. (2019).
Growth, evapotranspiration, and ion uptake characteristics of alfalfa and triticale
irrigated with brackish groundwater and desalination concentrate. Agronomy, 9, 1–17.
- Smith, G., Nandwani, D., & Kankarla, V. (2017). Facilitating resilient rural-to-urban
sustainable agriculture and rural communities. International Journal of Sustainable
Development and World Ecology, 24.
- Krishnan S., Nandwani D., Smith G., Kankarla V. (2016) Sustainable Urban Agriculture:
A Growing Solution to Urban Food Deserts. In: Nandwani D. (eds) Organic Farming for
Sustainable Agriculture. Sustainable Development and Biodiversity, vol 9. Springer,
Cham.
- Dzantor, K., Adeleke, E., Kankarla, V., Ogunmayowa, O., & Hui, D. (2015). Using Coal
Fly Ash Agriculture: Combination of Fly Ash and Poultry Litter as Soil Amendments
for Bioenergy Feedstock Production. Coal Combustion and Gasification Products, 7,
33–39.
My work has been published in Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment (AGE), Agronomy
Journal, Environmental Exposure and Human Health Risks, Int J Environ Res Public Health,
East African Scholars Journal of Agriculture and Life Sciences, International Journal
of Sustainable Development and World Ecology, Agronomy Journal- MDPI, Sustainable
Development and Biodiversity Organic Farming for Sustainable Agriculture, Springer
International Publishing and Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journals
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Conference Presentations
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- Kankarla, V., Muthukumar Bagavathiannan. Elucidation of the Impact of Soil Nutrient
Gradients on Weed Seedling Emergence. ASA-CSSA-SSSA, International Annual Meeting,
Nov 6-9, 2022, Baltimore, Maryland.
- Kankarla, V., Castro, E. D., McCurdy, J., Hathcoat, D., Grubbs, R., Bagavathiannan,
M.V. Developing a Decision-Support Tool for Facilitating the Selection of Diverse
Herbicide Mode of Action in Turf. ASA-CSSA-SSSA, International Annual Meeting, Nov
7-10, 2021, Salt Lake City, UT and Virtual 61st Annual Meeting of the Weed Science
Society of America, Feb. 15-19,2021.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., Picchioni, G. A. Root System Architecture, and Irrigation
water salinity effects on growth and development of roots of alfalfa and triticale.
ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting. Nov. 10-13, 2019, San Antonio, Texas.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla M. K., Leinauer., B., Serena, M. Irrigation water salinity effects
on plant growth and biomass in alfalfa and triticale. NMSU ACES Open House, April
4, 2019, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., VanLeeuwen, D., Schutte, B. J., Picchioni, G. A. Germination
and emergence responses of alfalfa, triticale, and quinoa irrigated with brackish
groundwater and desalination concentrate. International Conference on Irrigation and
Drainage (USCID) and Water Research Foundation. Oct 15-19, 2018, Phoenix, Arizona.
- Kankarla, V., Shukla, M. K., VanLeeuwen, D., Schutte, B. J., & Picchioni, G. A. Growth,
evapotranspiration, and ion uptake characteristics of alfalfa and triticale irrigated
with brackish groundwater and desalination concentrate. Annual New Mexico Water Resources
Research Institute conference. Oct 13 -15, Oct 2017.
- Kankarla V., Ben-Ali, A., Shukla M.K. and Das, B., 2017. Managing Abiotic Stress to
grow Glycophyte and Halophyte across Water Salinity Gradient for Food Security in
Arid Areas. 82nd Annual Convention, ISSS, Dec. 11-14.
- Kankarla, V., Bullock F.R., Eradication of Rhizome Johnson grass by inter cultivation
with Pigeon pea. Southern Weed science society of America (SWSSA) conference, 7-11
February 2016. Dzantor E. K., Kankarla, V., Adeleke E., Ogunmayowa. O. Contending
with the global food, energy, and environmental insecurities: Biomass production in
degraded lands could be one solution. Pp 261-271, In R. K Behl, A. P. Singh, A. B.
Lal, G. Haesaert (eds). Proceedings of the International Conference on New Approaches
in Food Security and Value Addition: Technological and Genetic Options. February 17-19,
2014.
I presented my work at various national and international conferences International
Annual Meeting, Nov 6-9, 2022, Baltimore, Maryland, ASA-CSSA-SSSA, International Annual
Meeting, Nov 7-10, 2021, Salt Lake City, UT, ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meeting.
Nov. 10-13, 2019, San Antonio, Texas, NMSU ACES Open House, April 4, 2019, Las Cruces,
New Mexico, International Conference on Irrigation and Drainage (USCID) and Water
Research Foundation. Oct 15-19, 2018, Phoenix, Arizona,Annual New Mexico Water Resources
Research Institute conference. Oct 13 -15, Oct 2017, 82nd Annual Convention, ISSS,
Dec. 11-14, Southern Weed science society of America (SWSSA) conference, 7-11 February
2016, Proceedings of the International Conference on New Approaches in Food Security
and Value Addition: Technological and Genetic Options. February 17-19, 2014.
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Grants & Awards
Toggle Grants & Awards
- Postdoctoral Research Award in recognition of outstanding research from the Department
of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas A & M University, Jan 14, 2022.
- Dean’s Award of Excellence in recognition for outstanding graduate student achievement
from the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, NMSU. Dec 13, 2019.
- ‘Young Innovators Creating a Better World for All’ Award by the Women Economic Forum
(WEF) at Women’s conference held in New Delhi, India on May 2, 2018.
- Best Graduate student Oral Presentation Award at the annual university-wide research
symposium held at Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN on 2 April 2016.
- Travel grant from American Geophysical Union (AGU) to attend the conference on “Earth
and Environmental Systems” at Washington DC on 3, July 2014.
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