An Integrated Hydrological Optimization Model for Managing Deficit Irrigation in Semi-Arid Citrus Orchards

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences | Vol. 12, No. 8, August 2026 | pp. 142–146

DOI: 10.46882/2026.AAAS.120809

Research Article

Title: An Integrated Hydrological Optimization Model for Managing Deficit Irrigation in Semi-Arid Citrus Orchards

Names of Authors: Gomez, S. L.¹, Martinez, R. A.¹, and Silva, M. T.²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Institute of Agricultural Sciences, National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina. ²Faculty of Agronomy, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Abstract: Prolonged water shortages require the implementation of deficit irrigation models to sustain woody fruit orchard yields. This research evaluated the water savings efficiency of Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) and Partial Root-zone Drying (PRD) across a commercial 20-hectare sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) plantation over two production cycles. Irrigation scheduling tracked tree water status via stem water potential measurements paired with automated soil sap-flow monitoring grids. The PRD system restricted water usage by 35.0% compared to full crop evapotranspiration controls while maintaining equivalent commercial fruit yields (32.4 tons/ha). Physiological monitoring showed that alternating drying zones stimulated endogenous abscisic acid synthesis, which modulated stomatal aperture widths to optimize water use efficiency metrics. Total juice content and ascorbic acid scores within harvested oranges grew by 14.5% under the PRD configuration. The study confirms that PRD frameworks provide viable regional resource management options for water-scarce semi-arid zones.

Keywords: Water allocation; Resource scheduling; Orange orchards; Abscisic acid pathways; Evapotranspiration tracking; Precision water management.

Manuscript Timeline: Received May 08, 2026; Revised July 02, 2026; Accepted August 06, 2026; Published August 28, 2026.

Citation: Gomez, S. L., Martinez, R. A., and Silva, M. T. (2026). An Integrated Hydrological Optimization Model for Managing Deficit Irrigation in Semi-Arid Citrus Orchards. Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences, 12(8), pp. 142–146.

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