Water efficiency for sustainable agriculture

Abstract

The agricultural sector is important because it meets the food needs of societies and provides raw materials to other sectors. Increasing productivity in agricultural production is achieved by giving plants with the water they need. The growing world population necessitates the opening of new areas for agricultural production and irrigation. Especially during the last decade, the world's average temperature has been rising. These increases in temperatures have led to more irrigation water use in agriculture. Due to excessive irrigation, the air in the soil pores is replaced by water, leaving the plant roots without air. The roots cannot receive the nutrients the plant needs. In addition, excessive moisture can cause root diseases in plants. Since there is water near the tree roots, the root development of the plants is limited and the roots do not develop deeply. Furthermore, excessive irrigation causes salinization in the soil, which leads to a decrease in plant product yields. Considering that the world's water resources are limited, the efficient use of water in agricultural production becomes a necessity. Water efficiency means the correct management of water, which aims to use water resources in a planned manner by protecting and developing them. Modern irrigation technologies are utilized in the efficient use of water resources in agricultural production. Digital agricultural technologies are used not only in water management, but also in many activities such as phenology monitoring of plants, spraying and fertilization in the field. The amount of irrigation water given to plants affects the contribution of these activities to productivity increase. In this study, works on water efficiency in agriculture, the benefits of smart agricultural systems on water efficiency in agricultural production, water use in urban green areas, activities that can be done for the protection of water resources and the environment, planning and management of water resources are presented.