Review on Drip Irrigation: Impact on Crop Yield, Quality, and Water Productivity in China

Abstract

The scarcity of freshwater resources is a global concern that is exacerbated by an increasing global population and climate change induced by global warming. To address this issue, the largest water-consuming sector has taken a series of measures termed as drip irrigation schemes. The primary purposes of drip irrigation are to reduce water scarcity near the root zone, reduce evaporation, and decrease water use. The application scope of drip irrigation is getting wider and wider, with the number of papers related to drip irrigation increasing year by year from 1990 to 2022. This study reviews crops planted in China that had been irrigated by drip irrigation equipment. The effects of drip irrigation technology on crop growth, physiology, quality, yield, and water use efficiency are summarized. This paper also provides an overview of drip irrigation technology on crop root development and nitrogen uptake. Through a global meta-analysis, it is found that in the case of water shortage, drip irrigation can save water and ensure crop yield compared to flooding irrigation, border irrigation, furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and micro-sprinkler irrigation. When the drip irrigation amount is more (100–120%), drip irrigation significantly increases crop yields by 28.92%, 14.55%, 8.03%, 2.32%, and 5.17% relative to flooding irrigation, border irrigation, furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and micro-sprinkler irrigation, respectively. When water resources are sufficient, increasing the amount of drip irrigation also improves crop yield. Moreover, the researchers found that drip irrigation can reduce fertilizer leaching and soil salinity. However, more studies should be conducted in the future to enrich the research on drip irrigation. In conclusion, drip irrigation technology is effective in improving crop growth, water use efficiency, and reducing water scarcity while decreasing fertilizer leaching and soil salinity, making it an ideal solution to the issue of freshwater resource scarcity globally.

Characteristics of Soil Salinity and Water-Salt Transport in the Vadose Zone of Salt-Impacted Regions with Variable Permeability

“…Therefore, salt leaching in drip irrigation is not significant. However, drip irrigation, through precise control of water volume and flow, significantly reduces surface evaporation and underground leakage of water (Shu et al, 2022;Yang et al, 2023), thus improving water use efficiency. could be observed that the kurtosis of the soil moisture content curves at each layer during drip irrigation was smaller than that during surface irrigation (Figure 7b and c).…”

Advancing horizons in vegetable cultivation: a journey from ageold practices to high-tech greenhouse cultivation—a review

“…As the agricultural sector expanded, so did the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. An important breakthrough in this decade was the advent of drip irrigation, which promised efficient water management and marked a move toward precision agriculture ( Xi et al., 2022 ; Yang et al., 2023 ).…”

“…This approach maximizes access to oxygen, promotes growth, and reduces disease risk ( Singh, 2023 ). Simultaneously, the drip system, utilizing intricate tubing and drip emitters, allows for the precise delivery of nutrients ideal for larger or specific plant species ( Yang et al., 2023 ). Alternate growing media, such as coco coir and a blend of peat and perlite, although still considered hydroponic, have gained traction because of their impressive moisture retention and aeration capacities ( Mariotti et al., 2020 ).…”

Aplikasi Teknologi Irigasi Tetes Pada Kegiatan Budidaya Tanaman Vanili Di Rumah Kaca Dusun Sinogo, Pagerharjo, Samigaluh, Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta

“…Tujuan utama irigasi tetes adalah untuk mengurangi kekurangan air di dekat zona perakaran, mengurangi penguapan, dan mengurangi penggunaan air. Irigasi tetes dapat mengatasi kekurangan air, hemat air dan menjamin hasil panen dibandingkan dengan sistem genangan, irigasi sprinkler, dan irigasi sprinkler mikro (Yang et al, 2023).…”