2026 R. Ford Denison: Plant Science and Agronomy Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Plant Science and Agronomy	44	2948	2742	730	650	103	10783

Overview

What is he best known for?

The fields of study he is best known for:

Ecology
Agriculture
Botany

His primary areas of investigation include Rhizobia, Mutualism, Ecology, Symbiosis and Agronomy. His study looks at the intersection of Rhizobia and topics like Cheating with Kin selection, Tragedy of the commons, Rhizosphere and Root nodule. In the field of Ecology, his study on Soil water and Experimental evolution overlaps with subjects such as Indeterminate growth and Carbon sequestration.

R. Ford Denison regularly ties together related areas like Nitrogen fixation in his Symbiosis studies. The study incorporates disciplines such as Rhizobiaceae and Botany in addition to Nitrogen fixation. His work on Legume and Manure as part of general Agronomy study is frequently linked to Kaempferol, bridging the gap between disciplines.

His most cited work include:

Host sanctions and the legume–rhizobium mutualism (678 citations)
The relationship between carbon input, aggregation, and soil organic carbon stabilization in sustainable cropping systems (501 citations)
Application of Real-Time PCR To Study Effects of Ammonium on Population Size of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Soil (361 citations)

What are the main themes of his work throughout his whole career to date?

R. Ford Denison spends much of his time researching Rhizobia, Ecology, Agronomy, Botany and Symbiosis. His study in Rhizobia is interdisciplinary in nature, drawing from both Mutualism, Legume and Host. R. Ford Denison frequently studies issues relating to Selection and Ecology.

His work in the fields of Agronomy, such as Cover crop, Forage and Crop, overlaps with other areas such as Shading. His biological study spans a wide range of topics, including Sinorhizobium meliloti and Root nodule. His Nitrogen fixation research incorporates themes from Rhizobiaceae and Rhizobium.

He most often published in these fields:

Rhizobia (38.36%)
Ecology (32.88%)
Agronomy (31.51%)

What were the highlights of his more recent work (between 2013-2021)?

Agriculture (17.81%)
Rhizobia (38.36%)
Crop yield (10.96%)

In recent papers he was focusing on the following fields of study:

The scientist’s investigation covers issues in Agriculture, Rhizobia, Crop yield, Ecology and Agronomy. His Agriculture research focuses on subjects like Selection, which are linked to Natural resource economics. His research investigates the connection with Rhizobia and areas like Root nodule which intersect with concerns in Legume.

His Legume study integrates concerns from other disciplines, such as Symbiosis, Fixation and Life history. His work in the fields of Acacia, ANT and Herbivore overlaps with other areas such as Provisioning and Myrmecophyte. His Forage and Perennial plant study, which is part of a larger body of work in Agronomy, is frequently linked to Metre and Flag, bridging the gap between disciplines.

Between 2013 and 2021, his most popular works were:

Applying evolutionary biology to address global challenges. (161 citations)
Neither crop genetics nor crop management can be optimised. (23 citations)
Evolutionary tradeoffs as opportunities to improve yield potential (18 citations)

In his most recent research, the most cited papers focused on:

Ecology
Agriculture
Botany

R. Ford Denison mostly deals with Selection, Crop yield, Ecology, Natural resource economics and Natural selection. His study in Agriculture extends to Selection with its themes. His studies deal with areas such as Rhizobia, Genetic Fitness, Tragedy of the commons and Inclusive fitness as well as Agriculture.

His work carried out in the field of Crop yield brings together such families of science as Cover crop, Cropping, Sustainable agriculture and Crop rotation. His Agroforestry research extends to the thematically linked field of Ecology. His Natural resource economics study combines topics from a wide range of disciplines, such as Yield, Kin recognition, Biotechnology, Domestication and Adaptation.

Best Publications

Host sanctions and the legume–rhizobium mutualism

E. Toby Kiers;Robert A. Rousseau;Stuart A. West;R. Ford Denison

1146
Citations
The relationship between carbon input, aggregation, and soil organic carbon stabilization in sustainable cropping systems

Angela Y. Y. Kong;Johan Six;Dennis C. Bryant;R. Ford Denison

884
Citations
Application of real-time PCR to study effects of ammonium on population size of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in soil.

Yutaka Okano;Krassimira R. Hristova;Christian M. Leutenegger;Louise E. Jackson

558
Citations
Ten-year comparison of the influence of organic and conventional crop management practices on the content of flavonoids in tomatoes.

Alyson E. Mitchell;Yun Jeong Hong;Eunmi Koh;Diane M. Barrett

472
Citations
Sanctions and mutualism stability: why do rhizobia fix nitrogen?

Stuart A West;E Toby Kiers;Ellen L Simms;R Ford Denison

398
Citations
Legume Sanctions and the Evolution of Symbiotic Cooperation by Rhizobia

Unknown

382
Citations
Sanctions, Cooperation, and the Stability of Plant-Rhizosphere Mutualisms

E. Toby Kiers;R. Ford Denison

374
Citations
Evolutionary principles and their practical application

Andrew P. Hendry;Michael T. Kinnison;Mikko Heino;Mikko Heino;Troy Day

317
Citations
Life Histories of Symbiotic Rhizobia and Mycorrhizal Fungi

R. Ford Denison;E. Toby Kiers

262
Citations
Lifestyle alternatives for rhizobia: mutualism, parasitism, and forgoing symbiosis

R. Ford Denison;E. Toby Kiers

249
Citations
Darwinian agriculture: when can humans find solutions beyond the reach of natural selection?

R. Ford Denison;E. Toby Kiers;Stuart A. West

247
Citations
Human selection and the relaxation of legume defences against ineffective rhizobia.

E. Toby Kiers;E. Toby Kiers;Mark G. Hutton;R. Ford Denison

242
Citations
Evolution in agriculture: the application of evolutionary approaches to the management of biotic interactions in agro-ecosystems.

Peter H. Thrall;John G. Oakeshott;Gary Fitt;Simon Southerton

234
Citations
Yield increases during the organic transition: Improving soil quality or increasing experience?

Elizabeth A. Martini;Jeffrey S. Buyer;Dennis C. Bryant;Timothy K. Hartz

196
Citations
Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture

R. Ford Denison

192
Citations
Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) supports survival and reproduction in starving rhizobia.

William C. Ratcliff;Supriya V. Kadam;Robert Ford Denison

164
Citations
Measured sanctions: Legume hosts detect quantitative variation in rhizobium cooperation and punish accordingly

E. Toby Kiers;E. Toby Kiers;Robert A. Rousseau;R. Ford Denison

160
Citations
Failure to fix nitrogen by non-reproductive symbiotic rhizobia triggers host sanctions that reduce fitness of their reproductive clonemates.

Ryoko Oono;Carolyn G. Anderson;R. Ford Denison

156
Citations
Response to Drought Stress of Nitrogen Fixation (Acetylene Reduction) Rates by Field-Grown Soybeans

P. Randall Weisz;Robert F. Denison;Thomas R. Sinclair

153
Citations
Mediating mutualisms: farm management practices and evolutionary changes in symbiont co-operation

E. Toby Kiers;Stuart A. West;Stuart A. West;R. Ford Denison

148
Citations
Do plant parts compete for resources? An evolutionary viewpoint

Victor O. Sadras;R. Ford Denison

140
Citations
Controlling the reproductive fate of rhizobia: how universal are legume sanctions?

Ryoko Oono;R. Ford Denison;E. Toby Kiers

111
Citations
Wheat Yields, Nitrogen Uptake, and Soil Moisture Following Winter Legume Cover Crop vs. Fallow

Andrew M. McGuire;Dennis C. Bryant;R. Ford Denison

105
Citations
Crop yields over the first nine years of LTRAS, a long-term comparison of field crop systems in a Mediterranean climate

R.Ford Denison;Dennis C Bryant;Thomas E Kearney

99
Citations
Nitrogenase Activity, Nodule Respiration, and O2 Permeability Following Detopping of Alfalfa and Birdsfoot Trefoil

R. Ford Denison;Stephen Hunt;David B. Layzell

96
Citations
Individual-level bet hedging in the bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti.

William C. Ratcliff;R. Ford Denison

90
Citations