Agricultural water issues in China - Discussions on research highlights

Agricultural water use is a major consuming way of water resources, especially in the North China where irrigation has induced severe over-exploitation of groundwater as surface water systems are lacking. With rapid socio-economic development, shortage of water resources intensified over the years. Water cycle remained the scientific basis of research on agricultural water-saving in China and around the globe. Clarifying water cycle and exploring transformation among precipitation, plant water, surface water, soil water and groundwater laid the critical bases for agricultural water-saving research. The core elements of agricultural water-saving research included the regulation and control of the interfaces of agricultural water processes such as soil- atmosphere, root-soil and vegetation-atmosphere interfaces. Researches on agricultural water-saving and systems engineering (which involved studies on rational utilization of water resources, water-saving technology, water-saving agricultural practices and water- saving management measures) ensured the realization of high-production, water-saving agriculture. The paper argued that among the effective ways, meeting agricultural water issues in China were paying more attention on scientific management of water resources, improving water use efficiency, establishing market mechanism for water-saving agriculture and promoting construction of water- saving facilities. Meanwhile, intensive research on water cycle and full utilization of inferior water resources were other vital ways easing water shortage in China.