Research | Forage Agronomy Lab

Forage Agronomy

Our research examines agronomic practices that influence forage productivity, persistence, quality, and resource-use efficiency.

Forage Eco-physiology

We investigate physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms underlying forage crop responses to environmental conditions.

Forage crop abiotic stress physiology research

Forage Seed Production

We study agronomic and physiological factors that influence seed production, seed yield, and seed quality of forage crops.

Forage Breeding & Genetics

We use a combination of traditional breeding, field evaluations, and advanced molecular technologies to develop and improve forage germplasm for enhanced agronomic performance, environmental adaptation, and stress tolerance.

2026

Bhattarai, S., Sbatella, G., Claypool, D. A., Beiermann, C. W., & Kniss, A. R.

Sainfoin stand termination: Variable herbicide efficacy in field conditions.

Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 9: e70371.

Omokanye, A. T., Bhattarai, S., Hernandez Ramirez, G., Azuhnwi, B., Zavala, Y., Gyamfi, H., & Shrestha, B.

Multifunctionality of annual forage crop mixtures for improved biomass, beef cattle diets, and soil health outcomes.

Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 9: e70325.

Yamauchi, M., Bhattarai, S., Tanino, K. K., Rahman, A., & Biligetu, B.

A comparative study on plant growth and ion accumulation between alfalfa and hybrid wheatgrass under salt stress.

Agrosystems, Geosciences & Environment. 9: e70367.

Omokanye, A., Bhattarai, S., Sreekumar, L., Hernandez-Ramirez, G., & Lee, A.

Forage yield and nutritional values of forage-type cereal mixtures for beef cattle diets.

Journal of Crop Improvement. 40(3): 303–319.

Bhattarai, S., Honari, M., Fu, Y.-B., & Biligetu, B.

RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals Differentially Expressed Genes Linked to Seed Size Variation in Sainfoin.

Grassland Science. 72(2): 123–133.

2025

Wang, H., Lundel, S., Bhattarai, S., & Biligetu, B.

De novo transcriptome assembly and candidate gene discovery for high seedling vigor in cicer milkvetch (Astragalus cicer L.).

Crop Science. 65: e70177.

Bhattarai, S., Poudel, H. P., Anderson, N. P., & Yoder, C.

Plant growth regulator effects on seed yield of timothy.

Crop Science. 65: e70179.

2024

Bhattarai, S., Khanal, N., Anderson, N. P., & Yoder, C.

Plant growth regulator effects on red fescue seed crops in diverse production environments.

Crop Science. 64(6): 3608–3618.

Bhattarai, S., Wang, H., Poudel, H., & Biligetu, B.

Evaluating effectiveness of clonal plant selection of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) in mixed stand: Mean performance and stability in a multi-environment trial.

Plant Breeding. 143(5): 713–724.

2023

Poudel, H., Bhattarai, S., Singer, S., Biligetu, B., & Acharya, S.

An insight into sainfoin breeding: challenges and achievements.

Agronomy Journal. 115: 2843–2858.

2022

Bhattarai, S., Lundell, S., & Biligetu, B.

Effect of sodium chloride salt on germination, growth, and elemental composition of alfalfa cultivars with contrasting tolerance to salinity.

Agronomy. 12: 2516.

2021

Bhattarai, S., Fu, Y. B., Coulman, B., Tanino, K. K., Karunakaran, C., & Biligetu, B.

Transcriptomic analysis of differentially expressed genes in leaves and roots of two alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars with different salt tolerance.

BMC Plant Biology. 21: 446.

Bhattarai, S., Liu, N., Karunakaran, C., Tanino, K. K., Fu, Y. B., Coulman, B., Warkentin, T., & Biligetu, B.

Tissue specific changes in elements and organic compounds of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars differing in salt tolerance under salt stress.

Journal of Plant Physiology. 264: 153485.

2020

Bhattarai, S., Biswas, D., Fu, Y. B., & Biligetu, B.

Morphological, Physiological, and Genetic Responses to Salt Stress in Alfalfa: A Review.

Agronomy. 10(4): 577.

2018

Li, P., Bhattarai, S., Peterson, G. W., Coulman, B., Schellenberg, M. P., Biligetu, B., & Fu, Y. B.

Genetic diversity of northern wheatgrass (Elymus lanceolatus ssp. lanceolatus) as revealed by genotyping-by-sequencing.

Diversity. 10(2): 23.

Bhattarai, S., & Biligetu, B.

Effects of seed size, seed pod removal and temperature on seed germination of Onobrychis viciifolia.

Seed Science and Technology. 46(1): 113–117.

Bhattarai, S., Coulman, B., Beattie, A. D., & Biligetu, B.

Assessment of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) germplasm for agro-morphological traits and nutritive value.

Grass and Forage Science. 73: 958–966.

2017

Bhattarai, S., Coulman, B., Fu, Y. B., Beattie, A. D., & Biligetu, B.

Genetic diversity and relationship of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) germplasm as revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphism markers.

Canadian Journal of Plant Sciences. 98(3): 543–551.

2016

Bhattarai, S., Coulman, B., & Biligetu, B.

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.): Renewed interest as a forage legume for western Canada.

Canadian Journal of Plant Sciences. 96(5): 748–756.

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the support of our funding partners.