ABSTRACT Global water scarcity demands a shift in environment‐based agricultural irrigation toward plant‐based irrigation approaches. Traditional irrigation methods, which rely on fixed schedules or environmental proxies, are inherently inefficient and often lead to under‐ or over‐irrigation. Precision agriculture has emerged as a pivotal strategy, with plant‐based irrigation representing its cutting edge. Moving beyond traditional methods reliant on environmental proxies, this review emphasizes the adoption of real‐time, noninvasive, and plant physiological‐based strategies using direct physiological indicators such as stem water potential (Ψstem), sap flow, and chemical signals for accurate water status assessment to guide precise irrigation. We explore the integration of wearable sensors and artificial intelligence, which together enable continuous, noninvasive monitoring and intelligent irrigation decision‐making. By synthesizing these technological advances, this work outlines a roadmap for developing responsive and sustainable plant‐based irrigation systems that dynamically align water supply with plant demand, thereby enhancing water productivity and supporting precision agriculture in water‐limited environments.
Ke et al. (Sun,) studied this question.