Dr Rodrigo Coqui da Silva
Soil Science | Crop Nutrition | Farming Systems | Agronomy
Research Interests
Agricultural science; soil science; crop nutrition; fertiliser technology; crops, forest & pasture management; nutrient cycling; isotope & spectroscopy techniques; root & plant phenotype; land use change; scientific writing.
About
I am a soil scientist with broad interests spanning nutrient cycling, crop fertilisation, soil use and management, farming systems and agronomy.
I joined the University of South Australia – Future Industries Institute in October 2024 as a Soil Scientist to investigate the reaction of a multi-nutrient fertiliser with contrasting global soils and its nutrient availability to the crops. In this role, I employ cutting-edge techniques (e.g. DGT, XANES) to investigate the dissolution of fertiliser granules and the release of nutrients in various soils, aiming to enhance their agronomic performance.
In my previous role at the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine – The University of Adelaide, I coordinated the agronomy activities of multiple field trials across South Australia and Victoria, within the GRDC-funded Farming Systems South project. My responsibilities included (i) the management of a large research field trial in Roseworthy, (ii) the support to the farming systems groups while managing, sampling, evaluating and harvesting their field trials, (iii) the coordination of analyses flow throughout the project, (iv) the analysis and interpretation of the data from all field trials, (v) the preparation of reports, factsheets and peer-reviewed publication, and (vi) the active participation in the engagement and extension activities, such as crop walks and field days.
Prior to this role, I worked at CSIRO Agriculture & Food (via a secondment agreement with the University of Adelaide) within another significant GRDC investment addressing the amelioration of cropping conditions under sandy soils in the Southern Australian region. My main role was characterising and understanding the physical constraints to root growth in underperforming sandy soils.
After an internationally competitive selection process, I joined the University of Adelaide’s Fertiliser Technology Research Centre. I conducted experimental work under laboratory, glasshouse, and field conditions to develop more effective fertiliser formulations that optimise their efficiency and minimise potential environmental risks. More specifically, we conceived, formulated, and produced novel fertiliser formulations through advanced isotopic and spectroscopic investigations.
Before moving to Australia, I completed my post-graduate training in Soils and Plant Nutrition at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. In addition to the university-based work, my research experiments and analyses were carried out in collaboration with Mato Grosso Research Foundation (MT, Brazil) and the Centre for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture (SP, Brazil), together with collaborators at Argonne National Laboratory (IL, USA) and Kansas State University (KS, USA), where I spent a doctorate ‘sandwich’ program (2011-12). Prior to this, I obtained my Agronomic Engineering degree from the São Paulo State University, Brazil, where I was awarded scholarships to perform scientific research for three years.
My career goals include (i) delivering impactful research outcomes to build a reputation as an independent research scientist and (ii) establishing myself as an emerging leading educator in soil science.
Publications
Book
Souza-Filho, LF; da Silva, RC; Cesar, FRCF; Souza, CMM (Eds). (2021) Topics in Soil Science – vol. XI. Viçosa-MG: Brazilian Society of Soil Science. 486 p. ISSN 1519-3934
Book chapter
McBeath T, Unkovich M, da Silva RC, Desbiolles J, Saunders C, Fraser M, Trengove S, Moodie M, Wilhelm N, Llewellyn R (2023) Ameliorating sandy soil constraints for productivity gains in southern Australia. In: Hartemink, AE and Huang, J (Eds). Progress in Soil Science – Sandy Soils, Chapter 19. Springer International Publishing, 396 p. ISBN: 9783031502842
da Silva, RC; Otto, R; Cantarella, H; Guelfi, D (2021) Fertilizers containing secondary macronutrients, micronutrients and beneficial elements: innovations and perspectives. In:LF Souza-Filho, LF; da Silva, RC; Cesar, FRCF, Souza, CMM (Eds). Topics in Soil Science – vol. XI. Viçosa-MG: Brazilian Society of Soil Science. p. 160-193. ISSN 1519-3934
Guelfi, D; da Silva, RC; Otto, R; Cantarella, H (2021) Advances in research and technology for nitrogen, phosphate and potassium fertilizers. In:LF Souza-Filho, LF; da Silva, RC; Cesar, FRCF, Souza, CMM (Eds). Topics in Soil Science – vol. XI. Viçosa-MG: Brazilian Society of Soil Science. p. 101-159. ISSN 1519-3934
da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; McLaughlin, MJ (2017) Soil management and fertilizer practices affecting crop production and human health. In: Singh, BR; McLaughlin, MJ; Brevik, E (Eds.). The Nexus of Soils, Plants, Animals and Human Health. 1 Ed. Catena – Schweizerbart and Borntraeger Science Publishers, Stuttgart. p. 111-121. ISBN 978-3-510-65417-8
Patents
McLaughlin, MJ; Baird, R; Kabiri, S; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC (2024) Coating containing micronutrients for fertilizer granules. US Patent application (under review).
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC (2023) Use of sludge solids formed in merchant-grade acid as fertilizer. US Patent application (under review).
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Light, J (2022) Hydrophobic coatings to improve the physical quality parameters of fertilizers. US Patent No. US20210246083A1. https://patents.google.com/patent/US20210246083A1/en
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC (2022) Swellable fertilizer granules containing elemental sulphur with increased oxidation rates. US Patent No. US20220324773A1. https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2018217888A1/en
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC (2021) Inflatable fertilizer pellets containing elemental sulphur with increased oxidation rates. European Patent No. EP3634923A4. https://patents.google.com/patent/EP3634923A4/en
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Freeman, K; Fry, T (2021) Fertilizers containing slow and fast release sources of boron. US Patent No. US20210347704A1. https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2018183914A1/en
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Baylor, BT; Peacock, LA (2020) Acid treatment for fertilizers to increase zinc solubility and availability. US Patent No. US2020/0062667A1. https://patents.google.com/patent/WO2017027785A1/en
Scientific articles
Cassim, BMAR; Lisboa, IP; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Prestes, CV; Lavres, J; Otto, R (2024) Combined use of NBPT and micronutrients in granulated or coated urea: A new approach to reduce ammonia volatilization losses from soil. Soil Use and Management, 40: e13148. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.13148
da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; Stacey, S; Ajiboye, B; Olson, R; Peacock, LA; McLaughlin, MJ (2024) Zinc in ammoniated phosphate fertilizers: speciation, solubility and use of barrier coatings to enhance zinc availability. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 88: 2156-2166. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20744
da Silva, RC; McBeath, TM; Antille, DA; Thomas, M; Macdonald, LM (2024) Reversible strengthening behaviour of subsurface layers in sandy soils – understanding variable response to strategic deep. Soil and Tillage Research, 237, 105981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2023.105981
Degryse, F; Harris, H; Baird, R; Andelkovic, I; da Silva, RC; Kabiri, S; Yazici, A; Cakmak, I; McLaughlin, MJ (2023) Acid coating to increase zinc availability of phosphate fertilizers. Plant and Soil. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-023-06323-w
Baird, RJ; Kabiri, S; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Andelkovic, I; McLaughlin, MJ (2023) Hydrophobic fertilizer coatings for improved physical handling and nutrient delivery. Powder Technology, 424, 118521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2023.118521
Zheng, B; Kabiri, S; Andelkovic, I; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R; Self, P; McLaughlin, MJ (2021) – Mechanochemical synthesis of zinc borate for use as a dual release B fertilizer. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 9 (47), 15995-16004. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c07111
Ballotin, FC; Santos, WO; Barros, MVA; Mattiello, EM; Mendonça, AC; da Silva, RC (2021) Nitric acid as a cold extractor of total nutrient contents from mineral fertilizers. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 52 (20), 2578-2587. https://doi.org/10.1080/00103624.2021.1953055
da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; Mallarino, AP; McLaughlin, MJ (2021) Screening fertilizers for their phosphorus runoff risk using laboratory methods. Journal of Environmental Quality, 50, 955-966. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20236
Samreen, T; Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Zahir, ZA; Nazir, MZ; Wakeel, A; Muntaha, ST; McLaughlin, MJ (2021) Development and testing of improved-efficiency boron-enriched diammonium phosphate fertilizers. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 21, 1134-1143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00428-w
Mattiello, EM; Cancellier, EL; da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; McLaughlin, MJ (2021) Efficiency of 67Zn-enriched fertilizers in a sequential crop cultivation. Pedosphere, 31 (4) 531-537. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(20)60044-3
Cesar, FRCF; Muraoka, T; da Silva, RC; Souza-Filho, LFS (2020) Efficiency of phosphate rock and elemental sulfur mixtures depends on the reactivity and the fertilizer exposed area. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 43, 2773-2784. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904167.2020.1793181
Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Holzapfel CB; Kappes, C; Tysko, M; McLaughlin, MJ (2020) Sulfur uptake from sulfate- and elemental S-fortified fertilizers in three contrasting climatic zones – a stable isotope study. Agronomy, 10 (7), 1035: 1-16 https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10071035
Kabiri, S; Andelkovic, IB; da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; Tavakkoli, E; Kirby, JK; Losic, D; McLaughlin, MJ (2020) Engineered phosphate fertilizers with dual-release properties. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 55 (13): 5512-5524. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.0c00403
Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R; Cakmak, I; Yazici, MA; McLaughlin, MJ (2020) Comparison and modelling of extraction methods to assess agronomic effectiveness of fertilizer zinc. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 183 (2): 248-254. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201900340
Ramkissoon, C; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R; Young, SD; Bailey, EH; McLaughlin, MJ (2019) Improving the efficacy of selenium fertilizers for wheat biofortification. Scientific Reports, 9(1): 19520. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-55914-0
Baird, R; da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; McLaughlin, MJ (2019) A column perfusion test to assess the kinetics of nutrient release by soluble, sparingly soluble and coated granular fertilizers. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 182: 763-771. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201800666
Andelkovic, I; Kabiri, S; da Silva, RC; Tavakkoli, E; Kirby, JK; Losic, D; McLaughlin, MJ (2019) Optimization of phosphate loading on graphene oxide-Fe(III) composites – possibilities for engineering slow release fertilizers. New Journal of Chemistry, 43:8580-8589. https://doi.org/10.1039/C9NJ01641D
da Silva, RC; Baird, R; Degryse, F; McLaughlin, MJ (2018) Slow and fast-release boron sources in macronutrient fertilizer: spatial variability, nutrient dissolution and plant uptake. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 82: 1437-1448. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2018.02.0065
Cancellier, EL; Degryse, F; Silva, DRG; da Silva, RC; McLaughlin, MJ (2018) Rapid and low-cost method for evaluation of nutrient release from controlled-release fertilizers using electrical conductivity. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 26: 4388-4395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-018-1309-1
Degryse, F; daSilva, RC; Baird, R; Beyrer, T; Below, F; McLaughlin, MJ (2018) Uptake of elemental or sulfate-S from fall- or spring-applied co-granulated fertilizer by corn – A stable isotope and modelling study. Field Crops Research, 221: 322-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2017.07.015
Everaert, M; da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; McLaughlin, MJ; Smolders, E (2018) Limited phosphorus runoff losses using LDH and struvite fertilizers: A rainfall simulation study. Journal of Environmental Quality, 47: 371-377. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2017.07.0282
Kabiri, S; Degryse, F; Tran, DNH; da Silva, RC; McLaughlin, MJ; Losic, D (2017) Graphene oxide: a new carrier for slow release of plant micronutrients. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 9: 43325-43335. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsami.7b07890
Mattiello, EM; da Silva, RC; Degryse, F; Baird, R; Gupta, VVSR; McLaughlin, MJ (2017) Sulfur and zinc availability from co-granulated Zn-enriched elemental sulfur fertilizers. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 65: 1108-1115. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.6b04586
Degryse, F; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; McLaughlin, MJ (2017) Dissolution rate and agronomic effectiveness of struvite fertilizers – effect of granulation and base excess. Plant and Soil, 410: 139-152. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-016-2990-2
Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R; McLaughlin, MJ (2016) Effect of co-granulation on oxidation of elemental sulfur: theoretical model and experimental validation. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 80: 1244-1253. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2016.02.0054
Montalvo, D; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R; McLaughlin, MJ (2016) Agronomic effectiveness of zinc sources as micronutrient fertilizers. Advances in Agronomy, 139: 215-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.agron.2016.05.004
Degryse, F; Ajiboye, B; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; McLaughlin, MJ (2016) Oxidation of elemental sulphur in granular fertilizers depends on the soil-exposed surface area. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 80: 294-305. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2015.06.0237
Degryse, F; Ajiboye, B; Baird, R; da Silva, RC; McLaughlin, MJ (2016) Availability of fertilizer sulphate and elemental sulphur to canola in two consecutive crops. Plant and Soil, 398: 313-325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-015-2667-2
McLaughlin, MJ; Degryse, F; da Silva, RC; Baird, R (2015) Co-granulated elemental sulphur/sulphate fertilizers and their role in crop nutrition. Better Crops with Plant Food, 99-3 :7-10. http://www.ipni.net/publication/bettercrops.nsf/0/269A267A530320B785257EAB0057C0F1/%24FILE/BC%202015-3%20p7.pdf
Gava, GJC; Silva, MA; da Silva, RC; Jeronimo, EM; Cruz, JCS; Kölln, OT (2011) Productivity of three sugar cane varieties in dry and drip irrigated management. Brazilian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, 15: 250-255. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-43662011000300005
da Silva, RC; Chien, SH; Prochnow, LI (2010) Available phosphorus evaluated by three soil tests in a Brazilian tropical Oxisol treated with gypsum. Soil Science, 175: 233-239. https://doi.org/10.1097/SS.0b013e3181e04a45