Meta-analysis of crop yield, water productivity, and nutrient uptake under drip fertigation

Drip fertigation is a promising agricultural strategy for enhancing crop productivity by synchronizing water and nitrogen (N) supply with crop demand. Although efficient water and nutrient management is fundamental to sustainable crop production, the impacts of drip fertigation on yield, water productivity, and nutrient uptake across diverse agroecosystems remain insufficiently quantified. Here, we synthesized 195 studies, predominantly conducted in China, to evaluate the effects of drip fertigation on crop yield, water use efficiency (WUE), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and the uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Given the geographic concentration of the available evidence, the quantitative estimates are most representative of these well-studied regions. On average, drip fertigation significantly increased crop yield (24.1%), WUE (30.9%), N uptake (43.2%), P uptake (24.6%), and K uptake (33.2%), whereas IWUE showed no significant change. The magnitude of the responses varied across climatic, edaphic, and management conditions. Greater improvements in WUE and K uptake were observed in soils with initial bulk density ≥ 1.35 g cm⁻³ , intermediate clay content (20–40%), and pH ≥ 6.5. Studies with experimental durations of less than 3 years enhanced yield, WUE, IWUE, N uptake, and P uptake. Stronger increases in P and K uptake occurred under an aridity index < 0.65, mean annual temperature < 20 °C, and intermediate precipitation levels. Yield enhancement was positively correlated with improvements in WUE and N uptake, indicating synergistic gains in productivity, WUE, and N uptake. The findings demonstrate that drip fertigation promotes crop performance across diverse agroecosystems and highlight the importance of soil properties, climate, and management duration in modulating its effectiveness.