From theory to practice: A review of regulated deficit irrigation techniques in crops

Abstract

Global agricultural system is facing a crucial challenge of water scarcity making it necessary to adopt innovative measures to enhance water use efficiency without comprising crop productivity. Regulated Deficit Irrigation has attained its recognition as a promising technique. It involves applying water stress during specific growth stages or root zone. This review focuses on the concepts of Regulated Deficit Irrigation, its different approaches including (i) stage based deficit irrigation, (ii) Partial root-zone irrigation and (iii) Subsurface irrigation. It underscores its responses of crops to Regulated Deficit Irrigation, its impacts on various factors such as Water use efficiency, nutrient uptake, crop yield and quality. This framework pinpoints the future research directions including understanding the relationship between soil and water stress, studies on various crop under Regulated Deficit Irrigation, integrating various technologies with RDI.