Precision Irrigation and Water—Nutrient Strategies in Horticultural Systems

Dear Colleagues,

Modern horticultural production increasingly relies on precise water and nutrient management to meet rising productivity demands while preserving natural resources. Precision irrigation strategies supported by technologies such as remote sensing, soil moisture sensing, evapotranspiration modeling, and decision support systems enable producers to optimize water application in both open-field and protected horticultural systems.

Rather than focusing on water management in isolation, this Special Issue places special emphasis on water–nutrient coupling, recognizing that irrigation and nutrient delivery are deeply interconnected processes. Coordinated water–nutrient strategies, such as fertigation and root-zone modeling, are key to improving nutrient uptake efficiency, reducing environmental losses, and sustaining crop performance under variable climatic and soil conditions.

We invite original research, modeling studies, experimental fieldwork, and reviews that address the following topics:

• Advanced irrigation scheduling and system optimization;
• Assessment of water productivity and evapotranspiration in horticultural systems;
• Integrated irrigation and nutrient management strategies (fertigation);
• Effects of water–nutrient interactions on crop yield, quality, and resource efficiency;
• Application of remote sensing, IoT, and digital technologies for soil–plant–atmosphere monitoring;
• Drainage, salinity control, and water quality management under coupled input regimes.

This Special Issue aims to highlight interdisciplinary advances that promote resource-efficient and climate-resilient horticultural production.

Prof. Dr. Ružica Stričević
Prof. Dr. Atila Bezdan
Dr. Aleksa Lipovac
Guest Editors

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