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Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management
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Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 13387

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Roman Rolbiecki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Land Reclamation and Agrometeorology, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Interests: irrigation systems; water needs of plants; irrigation water needs; evapotranspiration; sustainable development; agriculture production under irrigation conditions; air–plant–soil relationship
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Stanisław Rolbiecki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Land Reclamation and Agrometeorology, Faculty of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Interests: irrigation of agricultural and horticultural crops, water needs of field crops; irrigation water needs; field crop evapotranspiration; agriculture and horticulture production under irrigation conditions; yield–irrigation relationships for field crops
Prof. Dr. Barbara Jagosz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Interests: breeding; drought stress; seed science; fertigation; irrigation; in vitro culture; molecular markers; nutritional value; ornamentals; vegetables

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sustainable management of water resources is becoming extremely important in the face of ongoing climate change. An increasing number of regions are faced with rainfall deficits and droughts, which strongly affect agricultural production. Using appropriate irrigation techniques for crops is crucial to keeping agricultural production at an adequate level and ensuring global food security. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on the use of modern irrigation systems and sustainable rural development. It also includes methods to accurately estimate the water needs of crops, as well as to control soil moisture and ensure sufficient water for irrigation. Modern irrigation systems, their maintenance and operation, and the relationship between soil, water, and plants will also be discussed.

The main topics covered in this Special Issue include but are not limited to the following:

  • Water resource management;
  • Technical and economic problems of irrigation systems;
  • Estimating plants’ water needs;
  • Precision and water-saving irrigation;
  • Air–plant–soil–water relationship;
  • Irrigation and drainage systems;
  • Groundwater management;
  • Agricultural production under irrigation conditions;
  • Soil moisture and water content;
  • Innovative irrigation methods;
  • Water management in the face of climate change;
  • Spatial development and irrigation of rural areas.

Original research papers, as well as review articles, are welcome in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Roman Rolbiecki
Prof. Dr. Stanisław Rolbiecki
Prof. Dr. Barbara Jagosz
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. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • water management
  • crop water requirements
  • soil hydraulic properties
  • sustainable development of rural areas
  • soil fertility
  • drip irrigation
  • soil and water relationship
  • evapotranspiration
  • precision agriculture
  • irrigation and drainage systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 5545 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Effect of Soil Type Change on Irrigation Water Requirements of Sunflower and Wheat Using CROPWAT 8.0
by Huzur Deveci, Buse Önler and Tolga Erdem
Water 2025, 17(10), 1437; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17101437 - 10 May 2025
Viewed by 317
Abstract
Water scarcity, environmental factors, and climate change significantly impact agricultural productivity, making efficient irrigation strategies essential for sustainable crop production. The aim of this study is to determine how different soil types affect the irrigation water requirements of sunflower and wheat. To achieve [...] Read more.
Water scarcity, environmental factors, and climate change significantly impact agricultural productivity, making efficient irrigation strategies essential for sustainable crop production. The aim of this study is to determine how different soil types affect the irrigation water requirements of sunflower and wheat. To achieve this aim, the total net irrigation water requirements of sunflower and wheat plants in different soil types in the TR21 Thrace Region (Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli) during the period 1971–2000 was determined by CROPWAT 8.0. The results reveal that light-textured soils lead to higher irrigation water demand compared to other soil types due to their low water-holding capacity. In the Tekirdağ, Edirne, and Kırklareli provinces, on average, the total net irrigation water requirement for sunflower in three different soil types was 492.1 mm (light), 457.4 mm (medium), and 437.2 mm (heavy), while for wheat it was 342.5 mm (light), 291.0 mm (medium), and 232.9 mm (heavy). It was determined that sunflower required more total net irrigation water than wheat in all three provinces. Total net irrigation water requirement for sunflower decreased by 7.1% in medium-textured soils compared to light-textured soils, by 11.1% in heavy-textured soils compared to light-textured soils, and by 4.3% in heavy-textured soils compared to medium-textured soils in Tekirdağ, Edirne, and Kırklareli provinces. In wheat, the total net irrigation water requirement decreased by 15.0% in medium-textured soils compared to light-textured soils, by 32.0% in heavy-textured soils compared to light-textured soils, and by 20.0% in heavy-textured soils compared to medium-textured soils. Since higher temperatures are observed in Edirne province compared to other provinces, especially during the critical growth periods of sunflower and wheat, the total net irrigation water requirement was found to be higher for both plants. The findings show that climate parameters and soil properties affect agricultural water use, and that soil structure in particular should be taken into consideration when determining irrigation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management)
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14 pages, 1628 KiB  
Article
Impact of Subsurface Drainage and Biochar Amendment on the Coastal Soil–Plant System: A Case Study in Alfalfa Cultivation on Saline–Alkaline Soil
by Jinxiu Liu, Hong Xiong, Shunshen Huang, Yaohua Li, Chengzhu Li, Qiang Li, Xiangying Zhang, Peng Cheng, Hiba Shaghaleh, Yousef Alhaj Hamoud and Qinyuan Zhu
Water 2025, 17(10), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17101415 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 372
Abstract
Coastal saline–alkaline soils are characterized by high salinity and poor permeability. Subsurface drainage and biochar amendment are both practical methods, and their combination may overcome the limitations of individual measures and achieve rapid desalination and soil improvement. To evaluate the impact of different [...] Read more.
Coastal saline–alkaline soils are characterized by high salinity and poor permeability. Subsurface drainage and biochar amendment are both practical methods, and their combination may overcome the limitations of individual measures and achieve rapid desalination and soil improvement. To evaluate the impact of different subsurface drainage spacing and biochar amendment on soil properties and crop yield, the salt-tolerant plant “alfalfa” was used as the main material. We designed four drainage spacing treatments (0 m (CK), 6 m (S1), 12 m (S2), and 18 m (S3)) and three biochar amendment rates (5 t ha−1 (C1), 10 t ha−1 (C2), 15 t ha−1 (C3)). Soil physical indicators, salinity, and alfalfa yield are measured. The results showed that smaller drainage spacing and higher biochar amendment rates were beneficial for soil improvement, including bulk density, porosity, and field capacity. The experimental treatments affected the entire soil profile (0–80 cm), with subsurface drainage showing a greater impact on reducing salinity than biochar amendment. The S1 treatment had the most significant yield-increasing effect compared to other spacings. The increase in the biochar amendment rate promoted alfalfa yield, particularly for the first harvest. Overall, the results indicated that the drainage spacing of 6 m and the biochar amendment of 15 t ha−1 were most beneficial in improving soil properties in the plow layer and promoting alfalfa yield in saline–alkaline soils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management)
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23 pages, 6688 KiB  
Article
Electromagnetic Water Treatment and Soil Compost Incorporation to Alleviate the Impact of Soil Salinization
by Subanky Suvendran, David Johnson, Miguel Acevedo, Breana Smithers and Pei Xu
Water 2024, 16(11), 1577; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16111577 - 31 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1725
Abstract
This study explores the effects of alternating current-induced electromagnetic field (EMF) on mitigating brackish water irrigation and soil salinization impacts. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of EMF on plant growth, soil properties, and leaching of ions under different conditions, including [...] Read more.
This study explores the effects of alternating current-induced electromagnetic field (EMF) on mitigating brackish water irrigation and soil salinization impacts. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of EMF on plant growth, soil properties, and leaching of ions under different conditions, including using brackish water and desalinated water for irrigation and soil compost incorporation. The experiment was performed with four types of irrigation water using soil columns representing field soil layers. EMF-treated brackish water maintained a sodium adsorption ratio of 2.7 by leaching Na+ from the soil. EMF-treated irrigation columns showed an increase in soil organic carbon by 7% over no EMF-treated columns. Compost treatment reduced the leaching of NO3− from the soil by more than 15% using EMF-treated irrigation water. EMF-treated brackish water and compost treatment enhanced plant growth by increasing wet weight by 63.6%, dry weight by 71.4%, plant height by 22.8%, and root length by 115.8% over no EMF and compost columns. EMF-treated agricultural water without compost also showed growth improvements. The findings suggest that EMF treatment, especially combined with compost, offers an effective, low-cost, and eco-friendly solution to mitigate soil salinization, promoting plant growth by improving nutrient availability and soil organic carbon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management)
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19 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Effect of Irrigation Water Quality and Soil Compost Treatment on Salinity Management to Improve Soil Health and Plant Yield
by Subanky Suvendran, David Johnson, Miguel Acevedo, Breana Smithers and Pei Xu
Water 2024, 16(10), 1391; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16101391 - 13 May 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 8124
Abstract
Increasing soil salinity and degraded irrigation water quality are major challenges for agriculture. This study investigated the effects of irrigation water quality and incorporating compost (3% dry mass in soil) on minimizing soil salinization and promoting sustainable cropping systems. A greenhouse study used [...] Read more.
Increasing soil salinity and degraded irrigation water quality are major challenges for agriculture. This study investigated the effects of irrigation water quality and incorporating compost (3% dry mass in soil) on minimizing soil salinization and promoting sustainable cropping systems. A greenhouse study used brackish water (electrical conductivity of 2010 µS/cm) and agricultural water (792 µS/cm) to irrigate Dundale pea and clay loam soil. Compost treatment enhanced soil water retention with soil moisture content above 0.280 m3/m3, increased plant carbon assimilation by ~30%, improved plant growth by >50%, and reduced NO3− leaching from the soil by 16% and 23.5% for agricultural and brackish water irrigation, respectively. Compared to no compost treatment, the compost-incorporated soil irrigated with brackish water showed the highest plant growth by increasing plant fresh weight by 64%, dry weight by 50%, root length by 121%, and plant height by 16%. Compost treatment reduced soil sodicity during brackish water irrigation by promoting the leaching of Cl− and Na+ from the soil. Compost treatment provides an environmentally sustainable approach to managing soil salinity, remediating the impact of brackish water irrigation, improving soil organic matter, enhancing the availability of water and nutrients to plants, and increasing plant growth and carbon sequestration potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management)
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Review

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18 pages, 2532 KiB  
Review
Evaluation of Pedotransfer Functions to Estimate Soil Water Retention Curve: A Conceptual Review
by Umar Farooq, Muhammad Ajmal, Shicheng Li, James Yang and Sana Ullah
Water 2024, 16(17), 2547; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16172547 - 9 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2073
Abstract
The soil water retention curve (SWRC) is a vital soil property used to evaluate the soil’s water holding capacity, a critical factor in various applications such as determining soil water availability for plants, soil conservation and management, climate change adaptation, and mitigation of [...] Read more.
The soil water retention curve (SWRC) is a vital soil property used to evaluate the soil’s water holding capacity, a critical factor in various applications such as determining soil water availability for plants, soil conservation and management, climate change adaptation, and mitigation of flood risks. Estimating SWRC directly in the field and laboratory is a time-consuming and laborious process and requires numerous instruments and measurements at a specific location. In this context, various estimation approaches have been developed, including pedotransfer functions (PTFs), over the past three decades to estimate soil water retention and its associated properties. Despite the efficiencies, PTFs and semi-physical approach-based models often have several limitations, particularly in the dry range of the SWRC. PTFs-based modeling has become a key research topic due to readily available soil data and cost-effective methods for deriving essential soil parameters, which enable more efficient decision-making in sustainable land-use management. Therefore, advancement and adjustment are necessary for reliable estimations of the SWRC from readily available data. This article reviews the evaluation of the current and past PTFs for estimating the SWRC. This study aims to evaluate PTF techniques and semi-physical approaches based on soil texture, bulk density, porosity, and other related factors. Additionally, it also assesses the performance and limitations of various common semi-physical models proposed and developed by Arya and Paris, Haverkamp and Parlange, the Modified Kovács model by Aubertin et al., Chang and Cheng, Meskini-Vishkaee et al., Vidler et al., and Zhai et al. This assessment will be effective for researchers in this field and provide valuable insight into the importance of new PTFs for modeling SWRC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Water Use and Irrigation Management)
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