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Synergistic Management of Water, Fertilizer, and Salt in Arid Regions

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A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water, Agriculture and Aquaculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2026 | Viewed by 2258

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Dr. Jihong Zhang

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Guest Editor

Engineering Technology Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Saline and Alkaline Land in the Xinjiang Production & Construction Group, Shihezi, China
Interests: water-saving irrigation; water and fertilizer management; plant-water relations; soil improvement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This research focuses on the synergistic management of water, fertilizer, and salt to advance sustainable agriculture in arid regions. It centers on the efficient utilization of water resources as the foundational element for all agricultural activities. Building on this, the study investigates efficient management of water and fertilizer, aiming to synchronize irrigation and nutrient application to maximize crop uptake and minimize losses through practices like fertigation. Concurrently, it addresses the critical challenge of efficient water and salt regulation in the root zone, developing strategies to leach excess salts while preventing their accumulation, which is vital for maintaining soil health. These principles are integrated and implemented through various water-saving irrigation management practices, such as drip and subsurface irrigation, which provide precise water control. The ultimate goal of this integrated approach is to optimize the water–fertilizer–salt balance, thereby enhancing crop productivity, ensuring food security, and promoting ecological sustainability in water-scarce environments.

Dr. Jihong Zhang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

efficient utilization of water resources
water-fertilizer efficiency
water–salt regulation
water-saving irrigation

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 10440 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Irrigation and Fertilization for Greenhouse Pepper Under Slightly Saline Water in Arid Regions

by Shiyuan Liu, Yao Guan, Xinghong He, Fan Luo, Rui Gao and Yuan Ma

Water 2026, 18(4), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18040488 - 14 Feb 2026

Viewed by 697

Abstract

Water scarcity and soil salinization are major challenges for sustainable agriculture in arid regions, affecting crop growth, yield, and quality. In greenhouse systems, optimizing irrigation and nutrient management under brackish (slightly to moderately saline) irrigation water (1–5 g L⁻¹) is essential for maintaining productivity and resource efficiency. This study investigated the effects of irrigation water salinity, irrigation volume, and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium application on growth, yield, fruit quality, and water–nutrient use efficiency of greenhouse-grown pepper (Capsicum annuum L., cv. ‘Qilin 99’) in southern Xinjiang. A five-factor, five-level half-fractional quadratic orthogonal rotatable design was employed. Pepper yield showed a unimodal response to increasing salinity, peaking at 3 g L⁻¹ with 4800 m³ ha⁻¹ irrigation and N, P₂O₅, K₂O rates of 225, 160, and 500 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Water use efficiency and fertilizer partial factor productivity decreased significantly with increasing salinity and irrigation amount, reaching maximum under moderate irrigation water mineralization combined with low and medium irrigation levels, respectively. Fruit quality traits, including vitamin C, capsaicin, and free amino acids, were enhanced under moderate to relatively high salinity levels, whereas fruit size and single fruit weight were highest at lower salinity combined with higher irrigation. Irrigation water salinity was identified as the main limiting factor for yield and quality. Overall, greenhouse pepper exhibited a nonlinear dual-threshold response to combined water, nutrient, and salinity management, with an optimal threshold around 3 g L⁻¹. These findings provide practical guidance for improving water and nutrient use efficiency in greenhouse agriculture under slightly saline irrigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synergistic Management of Water, Fertilizer, and Salt in Arid Regions)

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17 pages, 1188 KB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation Experiment on the Effect of Saline Reclaimed Water Recharge on Soil Water and Salt Migration in Xinjiang, China

by Jiangwen Qin, Tao Zhou, Jihong Zhang, Tao Zhao, Ankun Wang, Hongbang Liang, Wenhao Li and Meng Li

Water 2026, 18(2), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18020238 - 16 Jan 2026

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Abstract

This study investigates the effects of saline reclaimed water recharge on soil salt accumulation and water migration in Xinjiang, China, aiming to provide scientific guidance for the sustainable utilization of reclaimed water in arid regions. Indoor vertical infiltration simulation experiments were conducted using reclaimed water with varying salinity levels (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 g L⁻¹) to evaluate their impacts on soil water–salt distribution and infiltration dynamics. Results showed that irrigation with saline reclaimed water increased soil pH and significantly enhanced both the infiltration rate and wetting front migration velocity, while causing only minor changes in the moisture content of the wetted zone. When the salinity was 2 g L⁻¹, the observed improvement effect was the most significant. Specifically, the cumulative infiltration increased by 22.73% after 180 min, and the time required for the wetting peak to reach the specified depth was shortened by 21.74%. At this salinity level, the soil’s effective water storage capacity reached 168.19 mm, with an average moisture content increase of just 6.20%. Soil salinity increased with the salinity of the irrigation water, and salts accumulated at the wetting front as water moved downward, resulting in a characteristic distribution pattern of desalination in the upper layer and salt accumulation in the lower layer. Notably, reclaimed water recharge reduced soil salinity in the 0–30 cm layer, with salinity in the 0–25 cm layer decreasing below the crop salt tolerance threshold. When the salinity of the reclaimed water was ≤2 g L⁻¹, the salt storage in the 0–30 cm layer was less than 7 kg ha⁻¹, achieving a desalination rate exceeding 60%. Reclaimed water with a salinity of 2 g L⁻¹ enhanced infiltration (wetting front depth increased by 27.78%) and desalination efficiency (>60%). These findings suggest it is well suited for urban greening and represents an optimal choice for the moderate reclamation of saline-alkali soils in arid environments. Overall, this study provide a reference for the water quality threshold and parameters of reclaimed water for urban greening, farmland irrigation, and saline land improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synergistic Management of Water, Fertilizer, and Salt in Arid Regions)

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22 pages, 9564 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Factor Driving Force Analysis of Soil Salinization in Desert–Oasis Regions Using Satellite Data

by Rui Gao, Yao Guan, Xinghong He, Jian Wang, Debao Fan, Yuan Ma, Fan Luo and Shiyuan Liu

Water 2026, 18(1), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18010133 - 5 Jan 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 659

Abstract

Understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of soil salinization is essential for elucidating its driving mechanisms and supporting sustainable land and water management in arid regions. In this study, the Alar Reclamation Area in Xinjiang, a typical desert–oasis transition zone, was selected to investigate the drivers of spatiotemporal variation in soil salinization. GRACE gravity satellite observations for the period 2002–2022 were used to estimate groundwater storage (GWS) fluctuations. Contemporaneous Landsat multispectral imagery was employed to derive the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a salinity index (SI), which were further integrated to construct the salinization detection index (SDI). Pearson correlation analysis, variance inflation factor analysis, and a stepwise regression framework were employed to identify the dominant factors controlling the occurrence and evolution of soil salinization. The results showed that severe salinization was concentrated along the Tarim River and in low-lying downstream zones, while salinity levels in the middle and upper parts of the reclamation area had generally declined or shifted to non-salinized conditions. SDI exhibited a strong negative correlation with NDVI (p ≤ 0.01) and a significant positive correlation with both irrigation quota and GWS (p ≤ 0.01). A pronounced collinearity was observed between GWS and irrigation quota. NDVI and GWS were identified as the principal drivers governing spatial–temporal variations in SDI. The resulting regression model (SDI = 0.946 − 0.959 × NDVI + 0.318 × GWS) established a robust quantitative relationship between SDI, NDVI and GWS, characterized by a high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.998). These statistics indicated the absence of multicollinearity (variance inflation factor, VIF < 5) and autocorrelation (Durbin–Watson ≈ 1.876). These findings provide a theoretical basis for the management of saline–alkali lands in the upper Tarim River region and offer scientific support for regional ecological sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synergistic Management of Water, Fertilizer, and Salt in Arid Regions)

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