Nanobubble Technology: A Review from the Perspective of Sustainable Agriculture and Irrigation Water Management

Increasing water scarcity, climate change, and sustainability requirements in agricultural production necessitate improvements not only in the quantity of irrigation water but also in its quality and physicochemical properties. Root-zone oxygenation is critical to crop production, influencing nutrient uptake and microbial activity, and insufficient dissolved oxygen has emerged as a significant limiting factor, particularly in intensively irrigated systems and heavy-textured soils. In this context, interest in innovative technologies to enhance the oxygenation of irrigation water has been steadily increasing. Nanobubble technology is a next-generation approach that generates gas bubbles at the nanometer scale that remain stable in aquatic environments for extended periods. Compared with conventional microbubbles, nanobubbles exhibit higher stability and increase the gas–liquid interfacial area, thereby improving dissolved gas transfer and influencing the physicochemical properties of water. Although numerous studies have been published on the applications of this technology in areas such as aquaculture, wastewater treatment, and drinking water systems in recent years, the literature addressing its use in agricultural irrigation and sustainable agriculture practices remains relatively limited and fragmented. In this review, the fundamental principles of nanobubble technology are addressed, and its potential applications, reported benefits, and existing limitations for agricultural irrigation water management are evaluated in light of the literature. In addition, the possible contributions of nanobubble technology to sustainability in water-scarce agricultural areas, particularly semi-arid regions, as well as future research needs, are discussed. The study aims to provide a holistic framework regarding the role of nanobubble technology in agricultural production and to serve as a guiding reference for both researchers and practitioners.