Optimized Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture: Linking Irrigation and Soil Fertility

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change continues to intensify pressures on agricultural production, with higher temperatures, prolonged drought, and increasingly variable precipitation patterns. In response, irrigation has become essential for ensuring stable crop yields. However, irrigation influences far more than just plant water supply—it is closely connected to soil nutrient dynamics. Irrigation affects nutrient availability, mobility, leaching, salinity, and microbial activity, all of which shape soil fertility and long-term soil health. These interactions directly impact crop productivity, fertilizer use efficiency, and the sustainability of agricultural systems.

At the same time, global food demand is rising, calling for resource-efficient strategies that optimize both water use and nutrient management. Understanding how irrigation practices interact with nutrient cycling is critical for minimizing environmental losses—such as nutrient runoff or groundwater contamination—while supporting sustainable intensification and resilient crop production.

This Special Issue, Optimized Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture: Linking Irrigation and Soil Fertility, highlights emerging research and innovations that explore how integrated irrigation and soil fertility practices can improve agricultural outcomes. By bringing together work from agronomy, soil science, hydrology, and sustainability research, this collection aims at advancing practical, science-based solutions that enhance productivity, protect natural resources, and support long-term agricultural resilience worldwide.

Dr. Paula Paredes
Dr. Deepak Ghimire
Guest Editors

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