Regulatory Effects of Irrigation and Fertilization on Aboveground and Underground Parts of Crops

In agricultural production, irrigation and fertilization are fundamental management practices that significantly influence crop growth, yield, and quality. These practices affect both the aboveground parts of crops, such as stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits, and the underground parts, primarily roots and the rhizosphere. Through complex physiological and biochemical processes, effective irrigation and fertilization can optimize crop growth as a whole and enhance resource efficiency. Therefore, optimizing these technologies to promote balanced development, improve yield and quality, and reduce resource waste is a critical focus in modern agricultural research.

The aim of this Research Topic is to explore the intricate effects of irrigation and fertilization on crop phenotypes and physiological and biochemical processes. Recent studies have highlighted their regulation on soil water and nutrient transport, crop growth and development, and yield composition. Advances in crop modeling now allow for the simulation of crop responses to soil water and nutrients at various growth stages, challenging and expanding our current understanding. Therefore, this article collection seeks to illuminate the complexity of these regimes under diverse scenarios.

We welcome submissions of all article types accepted in Frontiers in Plant Science. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Optimization methods and technologies for irrigation water and fertilizer

• Crop physiological responses to soil moisture and fertilizer application

• Efficiency of fertilizer absorption and utilization

• Environmental impacts of irrigation and fertilizer management

• Effects of irrigation and fertilization on roots and the rhizosphere

• Crop-water relations, yield, and water productivity

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Keywords: Crop growth and development, Crop physiology, Root and rhizosphere, Water and fertilizer use efficiency, Crop model

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.