Editorial: Optimizing deficit irrigation for sustainable crop production in water-scarce regions

practices increasingly conflict with the declining availability of freshwater and the rising variability of hydrological cycles. Among the various strategies aimed at improving water-use efficiency, deficit irrigation (DI)-applying less irrigation water than the crop's complete requirements during less critical growth stages-has emerged as a practical and cost-effective approach for sustaining agricultural production under water-limited conditions. This special issue aims to deepen the understanding of DI's optimal implementation, technological innovations, and management strategies, addressing crop physiological responses, long-term soil-water dynamics, irrigation governance, and farmers' adoption behaviors. A total of six papers were published in this Research Topic, comprising five research papers and one review paper. These papers synthesize key principles, modeling tools, management strategies, and policy approaches for achieving resilient, efficient, and sustainable crop production in water-scarce regions (Figure 1).