Water and Soil Management to Improve Fruit Crop Physiology

Water scarcity and soil degradation are growing challenges in agriculture worldwide. As the sector accounts for about 70% of global freshwater use and nearly 40% of arable land, inefficient water and soil management places increasing pressure on limited resources. Improving water use efficiency and soil health is therefore essential to ensure the sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems under increasing water scarcity. Water availability is linked to various characteristics associated with soil water content, root exploration capacity, as well as soil structure and biology. Currently, there are different tools available to manage water resources, such as physiological indicators (water potential, stomatal conductance, fluorescence, canopy temperature, and especially water use efficiency) and machine learning technologies.Irrigation and soil management practices are still separated from plant physiological practices, and this lack of integration creates a gap in proper plant functioning and efficiency. This Research Topic aims to compile recent research on fruit crops (vineyards, citrus fruits, almonds, stone fruits, pome fruits, berries, etc.). Specifically, it focuses on water and soil management practices that enhance crop physiological responses to water deficit.We welcome works that link irrigation scheduling and deficit irrigation strategies, alternative water sources, and soil practices (i.e., cover crops and mulching) with measurable physiological responses: water status, gas exchange, canopy temperature, root traits, nutrient dynamics, and fruit quality attributes. In addition, the application of new data-analysis technologies, such as machine learning, are also welcome.This Research Topic welcomes works on water and soil management practices that improve the physiological performance of fruit crops (e.g., vineyards, citrus, almonds, stone and pome fruits, and berries). We invite articles addressing:(i) irrigation scheduling and deficit irrigation strategies, including the use of non-conventional water sources;(ii) soil management practices such as tillage or reduced tillage, direct seeding, compost and other organic amendments, and related approaches that affect soil structure and water availability;(iii) cover crops, mulching, and weed control as tools to regulate the soil–plant water balance.We also welcome studies applying machine learning to support decision-making, interpret multi-source datasets (soil–plant–climate), or improve prediction of physiological responses and fruit yield/quality. Topic editors: Ignacio Buesa, Guillermo Toro Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78326/water-and-soil-management-to-improve-fruit-crop-physiology