Precision water management technologies for cotton and horticultural crops: a comparative literature review and prospects for integration in Uzbekistan

Water scarcity, secondary salinisation and variable river flows make irrigation efficiency central to cotton and horticulture in Uzbekistan. This narrative review synthesises 25 peer-reviewed studies, supplemented by clearly labelled grey-literature sources, on precise water-management technologies: drip and subsurface drip irrigation, soil-moisture-based scheduling, deficit irrigation, and sensor-, UAV- and IoT-based decision support. Uzbek field trials report 18–42% irrigation-water savings and 10–19% seed-cotton yield gains under drip versus furrow irrigation, with optimal thresholds near 60–75% of field capacity; India and China show similar magnitudes, though benefits depend on how well the surface-irrigation baseline is managed. Meta-analyses show deficit irrigation raises water-use efficiency at a yield cost (cotton: −15.0% yield, +7.4% efficiency on average), with simultaneous gains in both uncommon (~8% of paired observations). In fruit and vegetable crops, deficit timing and degree determine outcomes, and orchards and vineyards already dominate Uzbek drip installations. UAV, thermal and IoT-based scheduling tools for cotton remain largely unvalidated for Uzbek conditions. Adoption studies point to capital cost, unreliable electricity, maintenance capacity and rebound effects as key constraints on realised savings. We propose a tiered integration pathway matched to crop value, water quality and energy access, and identify research priorities for Uzbekistan.

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