Water and carbon fluxes are two vital ecological factors used for evaluating the sustainable development of farmland ecosystems, especially in water resources scarce regions. This study investigated the daily water and CO2 fluxes in four sprinkler irrigated winter wheat seasons using an eddy covariance system from 2019 to 2023 in the North China Plain (NCP) to quantify daily and seasonal field crop

Organic amendment strategies significantly influence soil microbial community structure and functional activity, particularly in salt-affected agroecosystems. However, the mechanistic pathways by which organic substitution strategies regulate microbial resource utilization remain largely unexplored. This investigation examined the effects of organic fertilizer substitution on soil improvement and microbial

Agricultural drought-induced yield reductions threaten socioeconomic stability and food security. Reliable early warning systems are essential for mitigating these threats. However, agricultural drought early warning based on meteorological conditions remains poorly explored, and prevalent conditional probabilities for determining drought propagation thresholds are largely subjective. In this study

Short-term drought dynamics are critical for agricultural production and water resource management, yet the complex role of diurnal temperature range (DTR), as a key climate variable influencing surface energy and water cycles, remains poorly understood in drought processes. This study addresses this gap by integrating a high-resolution meteorological dataset (1961–2022) into a SHapley Additive exPlanations

The gravimetric method is the most precise and intuitive technique for measuring the total soil water-soluble salt (TS). However, its application in intensive testing tasks is limited by the time-consuming suction filtration process. Therefore, this study aimed to improve the efficiency of the traditional gravimetric method by replacing the suction filtration process with the centrifugation technique

Pesticide application is an indispensable part of crop production, but its negative impact on the agricultural eco-systems should be carefully examined. In this study, we investigated field drainage discharge and pesticide losses in a rice growing area between 2018 and 2020 in the lower Yangtze River plain, Eastern China. As the local pest control protocol adopts a pre-irrigation practice to pond the

Irrigation Modernization is promoted to save water in many countries, because of its proven achievement of higher efficiencies on the field level. However, the potential of irrigation modernization in achieving water savings on the basin level is contentious. Whether it also improves the Nile basin system efficiency is studied in this paper by simulating Egypt's Nile River water balance using the River

Understanding water uptake, soil water storage, and desiccation patterns of vegetation in northwest China’s semiarid and desert regions can manage the soil water cycle. However, the seasonal variations in plant water uptake across different vegetation types are not well understood. Here, we examined the sources of water for four vegetation types (artificial forest, alfalfa pasture, cropland, and natural

Soil and water conservation (SWC) measures play a critical role in controlling soil erosion and protecting water resources on the Loess Plateau (LP). However, their impacts on hydrological processes remain insufficiently understood. This study develops a novel hydrological modeling framework that integrates both infiltration-excess and shallow saturation-excess runoff mechanisms. We applied the model

The central farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China (CFPENC), a key food-producing region, faces significant water resource challenges due to intensified agricultural activities. To address this, China initiated a pilot crop-fallow rotation system, yet its practical application remains largely unexplored. In this context, we developed a sensitive and high-resolution evaluation indicator for cropland

Increasing the upper limit of rainfall storage to enhance rainfall utilization is an important approach for conserving irrigation water in rice production while also avoiding yield losses caused by excessive flooding depth and prolonged inundation. However, traditional static water level control methods, which apply fixed storage limits at different growth stages, often fail to align with the dynamic

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), a crucial oilseed crop renowned for high oil and protein content of seed, faces yield and quality constraints in southern China's red soil regions due to seasonal drought and low soil fertility. To optimize nitrogen (N) management under varying precipitation regimes, we developed and validated critical nitrogen concentration (Nc) dilution curves using two sesame cultivars

Australia's agriculture has faced prolonged extreme heat and drought periods, leading to significant economic and agricultural losses. Climate projections show a rising risk of droughts and heatwaves in Australia, making it essential to understand these dynamics for effective planning and adaptation. We define agricultural heat and/or water stress (AgHWS) indices using crop and soil physiology thresholds

Exploring the response patterns of soil temperature to dryness/wetness at various depths enhances our understanding of the complex interactions between surface water dynamics and thermal transfer. Previous studies have focused primarily on analyzing the thermal evolution and response mechanisms of soil temperature with respect to various meteorological factors, neglecting its response across different

Science-based cropping pattern and irrigation scheduling are crucial for improving the efficiency of water and land use, especially in arid and demi-arid areas. Maize is extensively cultivated in northwestern Liaoning, China, where is semi-arid area. It has been a challenge to improve the water use efficiency and income of maize planting in this area. This study conducted field experiments on the maize-Cyperus

This paper is the result of co-working with the Water Users Association (WUA) in the Genil-Cabra Irrigation Scheme (Spain) to generate knowledge and understanding for the environmental improvement of collective water management. Most of the collaborative work aimed at developing a performance alarm system, based on downstream monitoring, and was carried out on a catchment covering 303 ha, cultivated

Against the backdrop of global climate change, improving irrigation water accessibility (IWA) in arid highland regions has become an essential prerequisite for boosting the income and fostering prosperity among remote and economically disadvantaged farmers.This study primarily examines the impact of irrigation water accessibility on farmers' agricultural operating income (FAOI) and elucidates the underlying

Recent declines in the rice Multiple Cropping Index (MCI) have reshaped grain production and water dynamics across Southern China, yet their effects on production stability and watershed hydrology, particularly in subtropical hilly regions, remain insufficiently studied. To address this, we extracted the current rice cropping structure in the Zishui River Basin (ZRB), Hunan Province, leveraging high-resolution

In 2016, the United States and Canada agreed to reduce phosphorus inputs to Lake Erie by 40 % to reduce the severity of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). These blooms have become more severe, with record events occurring in 2011 and 2015, and have compromised public safety, leading to do-not-drink advisories and negatively impacting the economy of the Western Lake Erie basin. To determine the potential

Surface irrigation is often described as low performing insofar as its practice is labour intensive and involves the use of large water flows that are difficult to quantify and manage. However, this method remains predominant worldwide, and modernisation towards localised irrigation systems is not always feasible nor advisable. To support border irrigation management, we previously developed a low-cost

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of soil moisture and salinity dynamics and their governing factors is essential for predicting salinization risks and developing mitigation strategies in arid agricultural landscapes. This study examined the vertical distribution (0–3 m) of soil water content (SWC), electrical conductivity (EC), and pH, and identified their dominant controls across bare sand

Accurate quantification and derivation of crop coefficients (Kc) are essential for sustainable water management, especially in semi-arid agroecosystems facing water scarcity exacerbated by climate change. With the goal of creating a foundational local crop coefficient resource, we apply the FAO’s Penman-Monteith model to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) - evaporation from soils and non-stomatal surfaces

Soil mulching, an efficient practice for enhancing crop productivity, has been widely used in agricultural production in the arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. A two-season (2023 and 2024) field experiment was conducted on rainfed summer maize on the Loess Plateau of China, including six mulching cultivation patterns: flat cultivation with no mulching (NM), flat cultivation with full straw mulching

Arid endorheic basins confront the most severe soil salinization challenge globally, particularly in their lower reaches. This research focuses on the spatiotemporal dynamics and underlying mechanism of soil salinization in the lower reaches of arid endorheic basin. The arid endorheic Bayin River watershed on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was investigated with the aid of an integrated approach combining remote

Grape yield and quality are tightly linked to soil moisture (SM), making SM monitoring critical, especially as climate change increases reliance on irrigation in rain-fed areas. Sentinel-1 (S1) radar and Sentinel-2 (S2) optical satellites offer valuable high-resolution, frequent data streams ideal for measuring surface SM dynamics. However, despite the recognized potential of satellite remote sensing

The development of the western U.S. relied heavily on harnessing the region’s water resources for use by the agricultural sector. A changing climate is affecting water availability in the region as diminished snowpack and higher temperatures reduce surface water flows. At the same time, the groundwater management policy landscape is shifting in response to unprecedented rates of depletion among the

Converting to drip irrigation from flood irrigation promises to increase crop water productivity (WPC) but at the potential costs of lower crop yield and less deep percolation that could recharge aquifers. This study hypothesizes a significant difference in recharge rates in pecan orchards under flood and drip irrigation systems in the Mesilla Valley of southern New Mexico, USA, with differences in

Infiltration processes in mountainous areas are complex and play a crucial role in runoff generation and ecological services in drylands. However, the combined effects of vegetation type and topography on infiltration processes are poorly understood due to the difficulties in monitoring. In this study, based on a long-term (7 years) continuous soil moisture monitoring network in the Qilian Mountains

Accurate estimation of actual crop evapotranspiration (ETc act) is essential for optimizing water resource management and irrigation strategies, particularly in arid and semi-arid agricultural regions. Traditional models rely on extensive meteorological data, limiting their applicability in data-scarce areas. This study used on-site ground observation data with a 30-minute temporal resolution from

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crops rotation has been proposed as a sustainable strategy for dryland farming. However, limited understanding of the spatio-temporal dynamics of deep soil water recovery following alfalfa conversion constrains broader adoption of this practice. This study investigates soil water recovery in alfalfa-converted cropland (AC) compared to conventional cropland (CC) under a

Effective water resources management and irrigation scheduling for agricultural sector highly depend on the precise estimation of reference evapotranspiration, ETo. This study aims to develop ETo estimation models using deep learning algorithms with remote sensing variables as the input variables at Pulau Langkawi and Kuantan stations, located in Peninsular Malaysia. Support vector regressor (SVR)

With the increasing severity of global climate change and water scarcity, improving crop water productivity (WPc) has become essential for sustainable agriculture. As a major staple crop, maize (Zea mays L) plays a crucial role in China’s food security. Straw and plastic mulching are widely used to alleviate water stress and improve maize yield and WPc; however, comprehensive comparisons under varying

Promoting the coordinated development of water resources consumption and economic growth is crucial for advancing modern society. The study constructed a novel methodological framework that utilizes the water footprint (WF) as the primary indicator. First employed a system dynamics (SD) model to construct a coupled water resources-economy composite system for Heilongjiang Province. Next, the Logarithmic

Soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is one of the important soil hydraulic properties impacting the dynamic changes in soil water content and water balance components. Determining the impact of the temporal variation of Ks on these components is helpful for water resource management on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The main objective of this work was to estimate the efficiency of dual-porosity

Nitrogen (N) is essential for agricultural production and additional inputs of N-containing mineral or organic fertilizers as part of modern agricultural practice followed by the subsequent loss of surplus N has led to a deterioration in water quality globally. In order to design effective mitigation measures and accurately assess progress towards meeting water quality improvement goals, an understanding

Climate change poses significant challenges for sugar beet cultivation in Iran, where this industrial crop accounts for over 50 % of national sugar production but relies heavily on scarce water resources. This study evaluated the potential of autumn sowing as an adaptation strategy compared to conventional spring sowing under baseline (1980–2010) and future climate projections (2040–2070, RCP4.5 and

This pioneering study employs the Water-Energy-Food-Environment Nexus (WEFEN) framework to evaluate the sustainability of various wheat irrigation systems—furrow (FI), sprinkler (SI), and drip irrigation (DI)—by integrating renewable energy (solar PV and small-scale wind turbines) and life cycle assessment (LCA). Field data were collected from representative farms across five climates: hyper-arid,

Accurate estimation of maize Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) is critical for precision field management and accelerated programs. Existing vegetation index (VI)-based maize AGB estimation methods using unmanned aerial platforms show limited generalizability due to insufficient integration of environmental and management factors. To address this limitation, plant density (PD) and spacing between two plants

World food systems are subject to many challenges related to land degradation, rapid population growth, climate change, and limited resources. Crop growth models are being recognized as efficient tools for agricultural research to investigate trends in crop yield production and address these challenges under various pedoclimatic, genotypic, and management conditions. Crop growth models have come a

Biochar application and irrigation management are widely regarded as effective strategies for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems. However, the combined effects of these two approaches on greenhouse gas emissions remain insufficiently understood. This study investigated how different biochar application rates and irrigation strategies affect soil moisture and temperature,

Drought stress (DS) severely threatens global food security, necessitating innovative solutions to enhance crop resilience. Nanoparticles (NPs) show potential for mitigating water scarcity and improving agricultural productivity; however, current research lacks systematic quantitative integration of NP-induced enhancement drought resilience mechanisms. We address this gap through a meta-analysis of

With a growing world population and mounting pressure on natural resources, the need for efficient, sustainable food production is becoming increasingly urgent. A promising route towards improving agricultural productivity is to expand the use of sensors to monitor plants and their environment with high accuracy and temporal resolution. Data generated by such sensors is useful for optimizing irrigation

Drought stress significantly inhibits the growth of Astragalus mongholicus, leading to reduced biomass, decreased photosynthetic efficiency, and exacerbated oxidative damage. In our study, the accumulation of saponins and flavonoids in Astragalus roots markedly increased under moderate drought stress. These secondary metabolites further reshaped the rhizosphere microbial community structure, significantly

Soil salinization is a widespread issue in arid and semi-arid regions, severely threatening agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. However, accurately modeling and predicting soil salinity at multiple depths over time remains a challenge due to complex interactions among environmental factors and limited ground observations. Understanding the spatiotemporal characteristics of soil

The Murray-Darling Basin water market dataset was used to assess the change in cropping mix, the relationship between water demand and supply factors, and the trend in irrigation area and production of major irrigation crops in the past two decades. The introduction of innovative water policies such as interregional water trading and intertemporal water transfers via the carryover of unused water allocations

Economic tree species, particularly those in the agroforestry ecosystems, significantly impact subsurface hydrological processes due to their high transpiration and water demand. Understanding the impacts of agroforestry systems on subsurface water is crucial for sustainable water management, but quantitative regional-scale assessment remains challenging. This study investigated the relationship between

The vulnerability of irrigated systems in areas coping with water scarcity has boosted the demand for information and communication technologies (ICTs), e.g. tools and services derived from field sensors or satellite data. ICTs are promising tools to track and quantify water flows and transfers, yet their increased accessibility and production benefits does not often lead to their increased deployment

Managing human excreta and organic waste from municipal solid waste is important for a cleaner environment. The recent circular bioeconomy paradigm brought the idea of sustainable resource recovery and reuse through valorising organic waste streams and wastewater reuse. Many studies have been done on human excreta valorisation, but the adoption of bio-fertilisers by farmers is poor due to unclear policies

Quantifying the water use and environmental impacts of irrigated crops in arid regions is essential for sustainable agriculture. The arid southwestern state of New Mexico in the United States (US) is a major producer of pecans, a water-intensive crop. Climate change-induced surface water scarcity has increased reliance on pumped groundwater, resulting in higher emissions and causing aquifer depletion

Agricultural non-point source pollution, caused by Nitrogen (N) surface runoff losses, threatens green development and rural environmental quality. Straw return could reduce N losses by improving soil structure and N retention. However, the impact of straw return on N losses from paddy and upland fields in croplands is not well-resolved due to differences in environmental and agronomic management factors

In the face of climate change, resource competition, and socioeconomic uncertainties, it is urgent to establish a theoretical framework for Water-Energy-Food nexus resilience (WEFNR) that is better adapted to regional characteristics and to conduct further analysis based on this foundation. Current research lacks adequate handling of complexity and context-specific adaptability. This study constructs

Halophytes reduce soil salinity through significant shoot salt accumulation and facilitation of salt leaching. However, quantitative evidence on how Suaeda salsa L. (S. salsa) roots interact with saline soil to facilitate salt leaching remains limited. This study investigated the effects of S. salsa planting on salt removal, soil salinity, and soil quality under four soil salinity levels (0.1 % none-saline

Irrigation modernization aims to improve water efficiency and reduce energy costs while ensuring the long-term sustainability of irrigation systems. However, restricted investments, and standardized management often create technical and economic constraints that limit farmers' ability to adapt irrigation methods to their needs. This study examines the 2012 collective drip irrigation project in the

The low percentage of land equipped for irrigation and the scarce land agricultural productivity render Africa an ideal target for irrigation projects. These have the potentials of increasing and stabilizing yields, thus contributing to food security and poverty reduction. The present paper investigated the potentials of irrigation in the whole Sub-Saharan region with the aim of individuating areas

Existing remote sensing approaches for estimating root zone soil moisture are limited by their dependence on initial conditions, sensitivity to model parameters, and high computational costs. This study proposes a lightweight model for predicting root zone soil moisture at the irrigation district scale. The model is developed based on the soil water balance equation and incorporates multi-source remote

The increase in crop water stress is one of the most critical effects of climate change and threatens farm production and food security both locally and globally. The adaptation process of the entire food system must be grounded in a local quantitative assessment of future water requirements and the consequences for production losses if those requirements are not met. Thus, we developed a high-resolution

As a key region for national food security, Northeast China (NEC) is under growing pressure to balance agricultural productivity and water availability amid global climate change and rising food demand. These challenges underscore the need for efficient, spatially targeted irrigation strategies to optimize water use and sustain crop production. In this study, we apply the Global Agro-Ecological Zones

Natural, waterlogged peatlands are recognized as the most efficient carbon storage ecosystems, playing a critical role in climate regulation. However, in Europe, agriculture on drained peat soils — although comprising only 2.5 % of the agricultural area — contributes disproportionately, generating approximately 25 % of the EU’s total agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. This study examines the potential

Long-term mulched drip irrigation can improve cotton yield, but its effectiveness depends on how long the land has been cultivated, and the mechanisms behind this relationship are not yet fully understood. In this study, the uncultivated wasteland was used as a control to systematically assess how varying lengths of cotton cultivation influence soil physicochemical properties, microbial community dynamics

Grain yield or biomass production per unit water consumption is defined as crop water productivity (WP). Using cultivars with high WP is important for reducing the negative influences of water shortages on agricultural production. Common methods for obtaining the WP of different cultivars are time-consuming and required considerable labor input. Developing nondestructive and high-throughput methods