Muhammad Ahtasham Mushtaq1,2, Khubaib Shakoor1,2, Muhammad Wassay3, Umar Imtiaz1,2, Muhammad Ans Hussain1, Talha Riaz4,5, Muhammad Ateeq6* and Muhammad Mohsin Kaleem6*
1National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, Hubei, China; 2MOA Key Laboratory of Tropical Crops Biology and Genetic Resources, Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, 571101, Hainan, China; 3MOA Key Laboratory of Crop Ecophysiology and Farming System in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China; 4Tropical Crops Genetic Resources Institute, National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou, China; 5Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication/School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Sanya, China; 6National Key Laboratory for Germplasm Innovation and Utilization of Horticultural Crops, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China
*Corresponding author: ateeqbukhari93@webmail.hzau.edu.cn (MA); mohsinkaleem21@webmail.hzau.edu.cn
Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important crop globally for its dual purpose of food and energy production, and precision irrigation has emerged as a transformative approach to improving water-use efficiency, yield, and the sustainability of rapeseed production. In this review, the physiological mechanisms governing rapeseed's response to water stress are discussed with respect to root architecture, osmotic adjustment, and hormonal regulation, specifically abscisic acid (ABA) signalling. The focus is on how advanced technologies such as IoT-enabled monitoring, AI-based decision-making tools, and precision irrigation systems enable optimized resource use and address the impacts of climate variability. Deficit irrigation and fertigation are investigated as sustainable practices that conserve water while maintaining quality and productivity. However, there remains limited knowledge about crop-specific adaptations of irrigation technologies and environmental impacts associated with irrigation and socio-economic barriers to adoption. The solutions to these challenges are identified through interdisciplinary research and scalable solutions, which ultimately realize the full potential of precision irrigation to revolutionize the rapeseed crop. This review highlights the need for adaptive planning and innovative pathways to mitigate tensions among productivity, resource conservation, and climate resilience for global food security and sustainable agricultural systems.