Irrigation Management in Hot–Arid Environments
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Use and Irrigation".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 8
Special Issue Editors
Interests: agronomy; crop water requirement; water stress index; humidity sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Hot–arid environments are characterized by high temperatures, low precipitation, and elevated evaporation rates, making efficient water management a critical priority for agriculture. In these regions, irrigation is essential for sustaining agricultural production and food security. However, it simultaneously presents significant challenges related to water scarcity, soil and irrigation water salinization, and increased energy costs.
This Special Issue, titled "Irrigation Management in Hot-Arid Environments," explores the main issues associated with irrigation management in hot–arid contexts. It also presents an analysis of innovative strategies aimed at optimizing water resource utilization. We will discuss emerging technologies such as precision irrigation systems (e.g., drip irrigation, micro-irrigation) and the application of sensors and artificial intelligence for the real-time monitoring of soil moisture and crop water requirements. In addition to field-level strategies, this Special Issue emphasizes the importance of advanced modelling approaches. In particular, agro-hydrological models and soil–plant–atmosphere system modelling play a critical role in improving the estimation of crop water requirements and supporting data-driven decision-making processes in irrigation planning and management. Furthermore, we will consider agronomic practices that improve water efficiency, including deficit irrigation strategies, the selection of drought- and salinity-tolerant crops, the adoption of soil conservation techniques (e.g., mulching, minimum tillage), and the use of non-conventional water sources (e.g., treated wastewater, desalinated brackish water).
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive and practice-oriented framework for sustainable irrigation management in hot–arid regions. By integrating technological, agronomic, and modeling perspectives, the contributions will highlight solutions with direct applicability in real-world farming systems, supporting both productivity and resource-use efficiency. In doing so, this collection seeks to contribute to the long-term sustainability of agriculture while ensuring the conservation of water resources under the growing pressures of climate change and socio-economic constraints.
Dr. Nicolo Iacuzzi
Dr. Michele Denora
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- agricultural irrigation
- water use efficiency
- smart irrigation
- agro-hydrological model
- soil–plant–atmosphere system
- moisture sensors
- climate change mitigation
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