Precision Water and Fertilizer Management Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Agriculture

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Precision water and fertilizer management technologies are essential for enhancing crop physiological growth, improving water and nutrient use efficiency, and optimizing soil/root-zone microbial environments under increasingly constrained resources. This Topic welcomes cutting-edge research on synchronized water–fertilizer application techniques and their effects on crop water status, nutrient uptake, photosynthetic efficiency, root development, yield formation, and rhizosphere microbiome dynamics. Special priority will be given to studies utilizing unconventional water sources (e.g., biogas slurry, reclaimed water, brackish water, and livestock wastewater) and management strategies in challenging substrates (e.g., saline-alkali soils, soilless cultivation, and desert substrates). Contributions may include real-time sensing and variable-rate control algorithms, water–fertilizer coupling models based on crop demand and environmental feedback, and field-scale validation of nutrient leaching reduction and greenhouse gas mitigation. The Topic also strongly encourages engineering innovations in supporting equipment, including anti-clogging emitters, high-precision fertigation injectors, intelligent filtration systems, and integrated water–fertilizer machinery. This Topic on “Precision Water and Fertilizer Management Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Agriculture” will publish original research papers and comprehensive reviews (including systematic reviews) on the overarching goal of advancing efficient, eco-friendly technologies and reliable equipment solutions for global sustainable agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Jiandong Wang
Dr. Jian Zheng
Dr. Wenyi Dong
Dr. Haitao Wang
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agriculture agriculture	3.6	6.3	2011	18.8 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Agronomy agronomy	3.4	6.7	2011	17 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Biology biology	3.5	7.4	2012	16.8 Days	CHF 2700	Submit
Horticulturae horticulturae	3.0	5.1	2015	16.7 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Nitrogen nitrogen	2.3	2.8	2020	16.7 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Plants plants	4.1	7.6	2012	16.5 Days	CHF 2700	Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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All Agriculture Agronomy Horticulturae Nitrogen Plants Biology

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19 pages, 6258 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Clogging Evolution and Structural Optimization of Drip Emitters Under Sediment-Laden Water

by Guowei Wang, Mengyang Wang, Yayang Feng, Mo Zhu, Shengliang Fan, Rui Li, Mengyun Xue and Qibiao Han

Agronomy 2026, 16(7), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16070682 - 24 Mar 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 446

Abstract

Long-term operation of drip emitters under sediment-laden water conditions readily induces particle deposition and clogging, leading to discharge reduction and deterioration of irrigation uniformity. To clarify the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of clogging and to support structure-oriented anti-clogging improvement, three integrated drip [...] Read more.

Long-term operation of drip emitters under sediment-laden water conditions readily induces particle deposition and clogging, leading to discharge reduction and deterioration of irrigation uniformity. To clarify the temporal evolution and spatial distribution of clogging and to support structure-oriented anti-clogging improvement, three integrated drip tape emitters with different labyrinth-channel geometries were tested at sediment concentrations of 1, 2, and 3 g·L⁻¹ under a constant pressure of 100 kPa. The average relative discharge ratio (Dra) and Christiansen’s uniformity coefficient (CU) were continuously monitored, and cross-sectional observation and numerical simulation were combined to identify dominant deposition hotspot regions within the labyrinth channel. The results showed that increasing sediment concentration significantly accelerated clogging development and shortened operating lifetime. At 1 g·L⁻¹, the times required for the three emitter types to reach the clogging criterion of Dra < 75% were 120, 81, and 107 h, respectively, whereas at 3 g·L⁻¹ these values decreased to 39, 42, and 39 h. CU continuously declined with operating time and, in some treatments, responded earlier than Dra to system deterioration. Sediment deposition was mainly concentrated in the inlet section and bend regions, indicating that these locations were the dominant hotspots for clogging initiation and propagation. These findings demonstrate that clogging in drip emitters is jointly regulated by sediment load and labyrinth-channel geometry, and that hotspot-based structural optimization provides an effective basis for improving anti-clogging performance under sediment-laden water conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Precision Water and Fertilizer Management Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Agriculture)

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16 pages, 8590 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Biogas Slurry Drip Irrigation on Water Infiltration Characteristics in Facility Cultivation Substrates Under Different Initial Moisture Conditions

by Yu Chen, Haitao Wang, Jian Zheng, Xiangnan Li, Xiaoyang Liang and Jiandong Wang

Agronomy 2026, 16(5), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16050542 - 28 Feb 2026

Viewed by 436

Abstract

Under drip irrigation conditions, the transport pattern of soil water in the root zone directly affects the water use efficiency of crops. The type of soil matrix, initial moisture content, and irrigation water quality jointly determine the hydrodynamic process of water infiltration. However, [...] Read more.

Under drip irrigation conditions, the transport pattern of soil water in the root zone directly affects the water use efficiency of crops. The type of soil matrix, initial moisture content, and irrigation water quality jointly determine the hydrodynamic process of water infiltration. However, as a special type of irrigation water, the water movement mechanism of biogas slurry under drip irrigation in soilless cultivation substrates still lacks systematic investigation. In this study, transparent soil column infiltration experiments were conducted using two types of cultivation substrates—organic (coconut coir) and inorganic (desert sand)—under controlled facility conditions. Three initial moisture contents (10%, 15%, and 20%) and two irrigation water qualities (tap water and diluted biogas slurry) were combined to form twelve treatment groups. Soil moisture sensors and visualization techniques were employed to quantitatively analyze the wetting front morphology, vertical and horizontal infiltration rates, wetting ratio, and soil moisture profile distribution under different treatments. The results showed that the initial moisture content significantly influenced the advancement pattern of the wetting front. Higher initial moisture levels promoted the transformation of the wetting front shape from a “semi-pear” form to a “hemispherical” one and reduced the rate of infiltration decline. The coconut coir substrate exhibited stronger vertical infiltration capacity and a central water aggregation characteristic, whereas the desert sand demonstrated a wider horizontal expansion range. Under low and moderate initial moisture conditions, the application of biogas slurry enhanced horizontal water diffusion and improved the uniformity of the wetted zone, with the wetting ratio increasing by more than 6% compared with high moisture conditions. In addition, the power function model provided an excellent fit for the cumulative infiltration process across all treatments (R² > 0.96), indicating its suitability for describing the water transport process in facility cultivation substrates. This study provides theoretical support for precise water and fertilizer management and the efficient utilization of biogas slurry in soilless cultivation systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Precision Water and Fertilizer Management Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Agriculture)

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22 pages, 4127 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Discrete Element Simulation Calibration and Flowability Study of Organic Manure with Different Moisture Contents

by Jia You, Pingfan Wu, Haochen Shao, Lujia Han and Guangqun Huang

Agriculture 2026, 16(5), 508; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16050508 - 26 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 417

Abstract

This study calibrated discrete element parameters for organic fertilizer (OF) and compost fertilizer (CF) to support spreading equipment design. Using the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR model, DEM simulations were integrated with physical angle of repose measurements. Parameters were systematically optimized via Plackett–Burman screening, steepest [...] Read more.

This study calibrated discrete element parameters for organic fertilizer (OF) and compost fertilizer (CF) to support spreading equipment design. Using the Hertz–Mindlin with JKR model, DEM simulations were integrated with physical angle of repose measurements. Parameters were systematically optimized via Plackett–Burman screening, steepest ascent, and Box–Behnken response surface methodology. Results indicated distinct moisture-sensitive behaviors: OF exhibited monotonic increases in dynamic friction coefficient (0.223–0.362) and JKR surface energy (0.064–0.166 J/m²), whereas CF showed nonlinear friction trends with surface energy rising from 0.209 to 0.326 J/m². A predictive model directly linking moisture content to DEM parameters was established using the cylinder-lifting method. Validation confirmed model accuracy, with angle of repose errors of 2.57% (OF) and 4.05% (CF). Simulated spreading widths closely matched field data, showing relative errors below 8%. The calibrated DEM framework provides a reliable basis for optimizing organic manure spreader performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Precision Water and Fertilizer Management Technologies and Equipment for Sustainable Agriculture)

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