Irrigation, as a research topic, encompasses the controlled application of water to agricultural or landscaped soils to optimize plant growth, yield, and resource efficiency under variable climatic and hydrological conditions. It includes the study and modeling of water delivery methods (e.g., surface, sprinkler, and drip systems), soil–plant–atmosphere water dynamics, evapotranspiration estimation, and scheduling strategies based on soil moisture, plant stress indicators, or climate data. Research additionally addresses irrigation water quality, salinity management, impacts on groundwater and surface water systems, energy use, and integration with precision agriculture and deficit-irrigation strategies to improve water productivity and sustainability.
Global rice production nearly doubled between the 1960s and the 2010s, despite the negative impacts of climate change, according to a new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The study found that management ...
Agriculture
Jun 10, 2026
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For generations, economists have viewed markets as the gold standard of efficiency, assuming resources naturally flow to the people who value them most. But new research from the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert ...
Agriculture
Jun 10, 2026
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12
Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping the contours of life as we know it. In agriculture, the world market for AI is expected to reach almost US$47 billion by 2034. AI enables higher farm yields with fewer ...
Biotechnology
Jun 9, 2026
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9
A collaboration of scientists from NASA and Brazilian research institutions has produced a detailed picture of groundwater change across Brazil. The images reveal significant declines in some of the aquifers that are critical ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 8, 2026
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14
Radar data from an agricultural area in South Africa, shown in a vivid color palette, reveal crop types and how they changed during the Southern Hemisphere's growing season.
Agriculture
May 29, 2026
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16
As climate change intensifies drought conditions across the Southwest, researchers at The University of New Mexico are examining how agricultural water is used in one of New Mexico's most critical river systems.
Earth Sciences
May 29, 2026
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23
Syria's energy ministry warned on Thursday of rising water levels on the Euphrates River after flooding in the north and east following increased flows from neighboring Turkey and recent rains.
Environment
May 29, 2026
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11
With the 2026 cotton planting season in full swing, research out of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station provides a fresh reminder of the importance of sufficient potassium for cotton lint yield and quality.
Molecular & Computational biology
May 28, 2026
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7
An international team of scientists has demonstrated how powerful thunderstorm complexes over the U.S. Corn Belt are fueled by moisture rising from the region's fertile fields or just beneath them. The findings can lead to ...
Earth Sciences
May 27, 2026
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16
Rice feeds more than half the world. From terraced paddies in Southeast Asia to irrigated fields in China and India, it underpins daily meals for billions of people.
Earth Sciences
May 22, 2026
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