April 2025 Spotlight: Dr. Arjun Kafle
Meet Dr. Kafle: Cultivating Innovation in Soil Fertility & Crop Production
Dr. Arjun Kafle is a post-doctoral researcher in the Soil Fertility Lab at Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Lubbock, TX. His expertise centers around sustainable crop production, soil health, irrigation management, soil amendments, and plant nutrient management.
Coming from an agricultural family background, Dr. Kafle developed a strong affinity for agriculture early in life—an interest that evolved into a dedicated career path. He earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, Nepal in 2016. Following graduation, he served as an agriculture instructor at a community school, where he taught and provided practical training to high school students. After more than a year and a half in this role, he recognized the rapid transformation of agriculture through new technologies, which motivated him to pursue advanced studies in the United States.
In 2018, Dr. Kafle began his master’s program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, focusing on season extension and overwinter production of leafy vegetables using high tunnels. He later completed his Ph.D. at Texas Tech University, where his research addressed two key issues facing the Texas High Plains: water scarcity and poor soil health. His doctoral work investigated the effectiveness of growth stage-based deficit irrigation on cucumber and sweet corn in reducing water use, sustaining yield, and improving water use efficiency. He also explored the use of biochar as a soil amendment to enhance the properties of West Texas sandy soils.
Dr. Kafle has shared his research findings at departmental, college, regional, national, and international conferences. His academic excellence and research contributions have earned him numerous awards, honors, and scholarships.
Currently, at the Soil Fertility Lab led by Dr. Katie Lewis, Dr. Kafle contributes to several research initiatives aimed at improving plant nutrient efficiency, water use efficiency, and soil ecological services. He is actively involved in a project funded by Myland, an innovative soil health company, which examines the long-term effects of native micro-algae inoculation on soil aggregate stability, nutrient dynamics, greenhouse gas emissions, and cotton productivity under different irrigation regimes. He is also engaged in a project funded by Yara North America, testing three nitrogen fertilizer sources (UAN, UCAN, CN-9) to assess their impacts on carbon and nitrogen mineralization and soil acidification. Additionally, he serves as the lead Principal Investigator for a Texas Corn Producers Board-funded project focused on optimizing phosphorus and potassium recommendations for corn production in semi-arid regions like the Texas High Plains and Blackland. The goal is to create a comprehensive fertility guide to improve nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity.
Since joining the lab, Dr. Kafle has contributed to over $3.6 million in research proposals, serving as both lead and co-principal investigator. He values the importance of grantsmanship for early-career scientists and credits Dr. Lewis as a key mentor in his development.
Dr. Kafle is committed to a long-term academic career, aiming to independently and collaboratively lead research programs that address growers’ challenges, support sustainable agriculture, and provide meaningful learning experiences for the next generation of agricultural professionals.
Outside of research, he enjoys visiting new places, playing cricket and soccer, and spending time with friends.
