Smart irrigation technologies for greenhouse gas mitigation in climate-smart agriculture: a review on advantages, disadvantages, opportunities and challenges

Abstract

To improve water-use efficiency (WUE) and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in climate-adaptive agriculture, smart irrigation technologies are currently the optimal solution. Therefore, this review provides information on the advantages, limitations, opportunities, and challenges associated with smart irrigation technology. In particular, these technologies, such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), variable rate irrigation (VRI), and irrigation systems integrated with the Internet of Things (IoT) and cosmic ray neutron sensors (CRNS), are implemented. Scientific literature focusing on efficient water management, greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, and crop yield was synthesised to fulfil the purpose of this study. Results show that AWD can reduce methane (CH4) emissions by 11-95% while maintaining or increasing yields by 2.42-20%. However, it can also increase nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions by 5.94-97% if not managed effectively. SDI technology can increase cumulative CH4 uptake by 14.82 - 26.51% but reduce N2O emissions by 14.41-44% and increase crop yields by 29.37-37.97%. VRI technology indirectly reduces emissions by lowering pump energy consumption and improving water-use efficiency. IoT/CRNS-integrated irrigation technologies offer the advantages of real-time soil moisture monitoring and data-driven irrigation scheduling. This supports precise irrigation and sustainable resource management. Despite their potential applications, these technologies face several limitations, such as infrastructure requirements, technical expertise, and costs. Overall, selecting the appropriate smart irrigation technology requires consideration of factors such as feasibility, farm size, and management capacity.