16 Jul 2025
Dr. Ankit Garg, Associate Professor at the Department of Health and Environmental Science (HES), School of Science (SCI), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), delivered an engaging seminar titled “Revisiting Plant Wilting: Observational Evidence from Soil-Plant-Photosynthesis Interactions in Unsaturated Soil Conditions” at the University of Hong Kong (HKU; QS Rank 11). The lecture was hosted by Dr. Clarence Choi, Assistant Professor at HKU and a leading expert in landslides and debris flow.
Dr Ankit Garg with Scholars of HKU and HKUST
Dr. Garg's presentation challenged traditional assumptions about the Permanent Wilting Point (PWP), which has long been defined by a fixed soil suction value of 1500 kPa. Through a systematic series of experiments on Axonopus compressus grass grown in different soil types such as clayey loam and silty sand, his research revealed that PWP varies significantly depending on soil composition. The study demonstrates that fine root hairs in silty sand enhance water uptake and extend plant survival during drought conditions. These findings have important implications for vegetation selection in green infrastructure projects, suggesting the need for soil- and plant-specific PWP frameworks. During the Q&A session, an international student raised a question about soil matric potential measurements and their assumptions in soil-root systems, prompting an insightful dialogue on Dr. Garg’s framework for determining wilting thresholds. In addition to sharing his research, Dr. Garg highlighted academic and research opportunities in the School of Science and XJTLU, including its Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), a popular visiting research student policy. He also showcased the university’s remarkable achievement of 66% of the undergraduate students from the School of Science gaining admission into top 10 global universities, reflecting XJTLU’s commitment to academic excellence and global competitiveness.
Dr. Garg took the opportunity to acknowledge his collaborators, including Dr. Sanandam Bordoloi from Aalto University in Finland, as well as Prof. Sreedeep S and Prof. Lingaraj Sahoo from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati. He also expressed gratitude for the support of the NSFC-RGC Joint Research Grant (No. 52261160382), a collaborative project with experts from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen. The research project focuses on developing plant-sensing-based monitoring techniques for unsaturated soil covers in landfills, further advancing sustainable geotechnical solutions. Dr. Garg also met with his alumnus (former research assistant), Mr. Suriya Ganesan, who is currently pursuing his PhD at HKUST and plays a key role in the execution of the NSFC-RGC project.
Dr Ankit Garg along with his former student (Mr Suriya Ganesan; currently PhD Scholar at HKUST)
Flume experiment to evaluate effect of debris flow on ground vibration (at HKU)
Following the seminar, Dr. Garg participated in lively discussions with HKU researchers, including Post-Doctoral Fellow Dr. Jun Fang, and toured the university’s Geotechnical Engineering laboratories. He observed an innovative flume experiment being conducted to simulate debris flow and its effects on ground vibrations. Additionally, Dr. Fang shared his development of a new coupled CFD-DEM model for simulating debris flows. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange research ideas on bio-inspired engineering, sustainable infrastructure, and emerging trends in geotechnics.
Content from Dr. Ankit Garg
Review: Professor John Moraros
16 Jul 2025