Nishanth Tharayil

Professor of Plant Ecophysiology
Director, Multi-User Analytical Laboratory
Plant and Environmental Sciences Department

Office: 120 Biosystems Research Complex
Phone: 864-656-4453

Email: ntharay@clemson.edu

Educational Background

Postdoctoral fellow
U.S. Department of Agriculture 2008

PhD. Plant & Soil Science
University of Massachusetts Amherst 2007

M.Sc. Agronomy
G.B.P.U.A. & T. Pantnagar, India 2003

Courses Taught

PES 8090 - Analytical Techniques (Spring; link to syllabus and class slides at the bottom of this page)
PES 8060- Methods in Plant Metabolomics (alternate Spring)
PES 4090/6090 - Biology of Invasive Plants (Fall)

Research Interests

The central theme that drives our research is the physiology of plant-environment interactions. The tenacity of this sessile life-form to thrive in diverse environments, despite the unrelenting efforts of all other living beings to literally consume them, is awe-inspiring. In plants, the disadvantage of being sessile is overcompensated (at least in part) by a rich palette of compounds that modulate growth/defense responses. Plants seem to adeptly use their chemical arsenal to tame the elements, protect/repair themselves from harsh environments, entice/deter other organisms to submission, and forage for soil nutrients, all of which help them to navigate a treacherous world while being physically stuck. Our research broadly focuses on the significance of the dynamics and versatility of plant chemistry in plant adaptations, and we view the physiological ecology of plants through this fascinating 'chemical lens'.

Using weedy and ruderal plants as models, our basic research efforts strive to elucidate the mechanistic regulation and roles of plant metabolites, including those released into the environment, such as root exudates and dissolved organic matter, in shaping plant responses and resilience to various biotic and abiotic stressors.

Our research team leverages insights from this foundational research to enhance agricultural sustainability and quality. This includes managing weedy and invasive plants, enhancing crop nutritional quality through controlled stress, improving nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition efficiencies through root exudation and dissolved organic matter-mediated processes, and reducing bioaccumulation of xenobiotics by stimulating P450 pathways in plants.

Lab Members

The research team specializes primarily in phytochemistry-driven ecophysiology, complemented by expertise in ecology, molecular biology, and physiology.

LAB GROUP (2025):
Rohit Kumar (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Mengxue Xia (Postdoctoral Fellow)
Mioko Tamura (Postdoctoral Fellow, shared with Dr. Jason Fridley)
Elizabeth Leonard (Research Associate)
Eric Gonzalez (Field Technician)
Tyler McIntosh (Lab Technician)
Gagandeep Kaur (PhD student)
Davinder Singh (PhD student)
Harika Amooru (PhD student)

Extension and Outreach

Through the Multi-User Analytical Laboratory (MUAL), an analytical facility that is part of our research lab, we develop chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques to analyze small molecules and proteins in biological and environmental matrices, supporting diverse research projects at Clemson University and beyond while training staff and graduate students in advanced analytical methods through two graduate-level courses.
WEBSITE: https://blogs.clemson.edu/mual/

Publications

Twelve selected publications that closely align with the current research emphasis of our group are listed below:

Sandhu PK, Kumar R, Nandual V, Tharayil N. Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals divergent molecular responses in Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) biotypes susceptible and resistant to glyphosate bioRxiv; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.20.665775

Brar MS, Kumar R, Kunduru B, Leonard E, McMahan CS, Tharayil N, Sekhon RS. Temporal analysis of physiological phenotypes identifies metabolic and genetic underpinnings of senescence in maize. Plant Cell. 2025 Jul 22:koaf176. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koaf176.

Jatana, B.S., Kitchens, C., Ray, C., Gerard P, Tharayil, N. 2025. Chemical Forms of Nitrogen Fertilizers Differentially Influence the Content and Composition of Aroma Volatiles and Phytonutrients in Strawberry Fruits. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.4c04734

Xia M, McCormack M, Suseela V, Kennedy P, Tharayil N. 2024. Formations of mycorrhizal symbiosis alter the phenolic heteropolymers in roots and leaves of four temperate woody species. New Phytologist. DOI: 10.1111/nph.19731

Wang M, Kong D, Mo X, Wang Y, Yang Q, Kardol P, Valverde-Barrantes O, Simpson M, Zeng H, Reich P, Bergmann J, Tharayil N, Wang J. 2024. Molecular-level carbon traits underlie the multidimensional fine root economics space. Nature Plants. DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01700-4

Koski M, Leonard E, Tharayil N. 2024. Foliar Flavonoids Across an Elevation Gradient: Plasticity in Response to UV, and Links with Floral Pigmentation Patterning. Environmental and Experimental Botany. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2024.106036.

Xia M, Suseela V, McCormack M, Kennedy P, Tharayil N. 2023. Common and lifestyle specific traits of mycorrhizal root metabolome reflect ecological strategies of plant-mycorrhizal interactions. Journal of Ecology. 111(3):601-616. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.14049

Xia, M., Valverde-Barrantes, O., Suseela, V., Blackwood, C., Tharayil, N.2022.Characterizing natural variability of lignin in tree roots: a comparison of analytical methods and assessment of high-throughput techniques for large-scale screening. New Phytologist (https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18515).

Xia, M., Valverde-Barrantes, O., Suseela, V., Blackwood, C., Tharayil, N. 2021. Coordination between compound-specific chemistry and morphology in roots aligns with ancestral mycorrhizal affinity in woody angiosperms. New Phytologist. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17561

Freschet et al. 2021. A starting guide to root ecology: strengthening ecological concepts and standardizing root classification, sampling, processing and trait measurements. New Phytologist. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17572

Huynh, K., Leonard, E., Palmer, C., Chong, J-H., Tharayil, N. 2021. Persistence and Metabolism of the Diamide Insecticide Cyantraniliprole in Tomato Plants. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00970-8

Edayilam, N.; Montgomery, D.; Ferguson, B.; Maroli A.S.; Martinez, N.; Powell, B.A.; Tharayil, N. 2020. Dissolution and vertical transport of uranium from stable mineral forms by plants as influenced by the co-occurrence of uranium with phosphorus. Environmental Science & Technology. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b06559

FULL PUBLICATION LIST AVAILABLE AT ORCiD- https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6866-0804

Links

Full Publication list (peer-reviewed)
Muti-User Analytical Laboratory
Syllabus -Analytical Techniques course (Fall)
Class Slides-AnalyticalTechniques (PDF Portfolio; download & open)