Water Needs of Crops and Irrigation Management under Climate Change

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change has become a major challenge impacting world food production and crop water management. Crop production substantially relies on irrigation. At present, irrigated farmlands have contributed more than 50% of global available calories; meanwhile, crop irrigation consumes more than 60% of water withdrawn worldwide. Given the expansion of irrigated farmland, water shortage is escalating in the agricultural sector. Great efforts should be made to balance the water needs and supply while achieving high crop productivity. However, the climate system is changing, and the global average surface temperature has increased 0.65–1.06 °C. Climate change brings about temperature rises and erratic rainfall, increasing crop vulnerability in yield formation. Crop water needs are expected to markedly increase with global warming, further accelerating the world’s water crisis. In this context, global food security should be guaranteed by optimizing crop water management and improving crop adaptation to climate change. Understanding crop water needs under climate change is of irreplaceable importance for the sustainable development of agriculture. This Special Issue aims at providing an overview of the latest developments in the major fields of crop water needs, water physiology, drought mitigation, water-saving techniques, smart irrigation, and strategies for optimizing crop water management in the context of climate change. With its paramount importance to meet the goal of global food and water safety under climate change, we welcome original research articles and reviews to this Special Issue entitled “Water Needs of Crops and Irrigation Management under Climate Change”.

Dr. Zhandong Liu
Dr. Anzhen Qin
Dr. Wen Yin
Guest Editors

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