Nan Huang
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Nan Huang has a total of 5 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Chao Zhang
College of Hydraulic Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
1 shared publication - Chen Shi
School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
1 shared publication - Xiaowen Wang
School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
1 shared publication - Yuxin Zhao
School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
1 shared publication - Zhen Zheng
School of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
Root Water Uptake Modeling: Current Approaches and Future Directions
Freshwater scarcity has increased the demand for precision irrigation, and root water uptake (RWU) models are now essential for field-scale water management. Conventional macroscopic models estimate uptake capacity from root length density. While computationally efficient, these frameworks overlook root topology, xylem resistance, and rhizosphere heterogeneity and often fail to simulate compensatory uptake under heterogeneous soil moisture such as partial root-zone drying. Hydraulic architecture theory addresses this gap by representing roots as conductance-based networks, in which compensatory uptake arises from physical principles. Though fully resolved 3D models capture microscale rhizosphere processes, practical implementation is often limited by high parameter demands and computational overhead. Recent advances in root imaging, stochastic modeling, upscaling, and machine learning guided by physical principles have eased bottlenecks in simulation across scales. Belowground digital twins open further opportunities for precision irrigation. This review charts the evolution of RWU models and evaluates recent progress in parameterization and upscaling, with the aim of guiding drought-tolerant breeding and water-saving irrigation design. An illustrative case study demonstrates the practical consequences of the modeling choice for irrigation design.
Open AccessRoot Water Uptake Modeling: Current Approaches and Future Directions
Freshwater scarcity has increased the demand for precision irrigation, and root water uptake (RWU) models are now essential for field-scale water management. Conventional macroscopic models estimate uptake capacity from root length density. While computationally efficient, these frameworks overlook root topology, xylem resistance, and rhizosphere heterogeneity and often fail to simulate compensatory uptake under heterogeneous soil moisture such as partial root-zone drying. Hydraulic architecture theory addresses this gap by representing roots as conductance-based networks, in which compensatory uptake arises from physical principles. Though fully resolved 3D models capture microscale rhizosphere processes, practical implementation is often limited by high parameter demands and computational overhead. Recent advances in root imaging, stochastic modeling, upscaling, and machine learning guided by physical principles have eased bottlenecks in simulation across scales. Belowground digital twins open further opportunities for precision irrigation. This review charts the evolution of RWU models and evaluates recent progress in parameterization and upscaling, with the aim of guiding drought-tolerant breeding and water-saving irrigation design. An illustrative case study demonstrates the practical consequences of the modeling choice for irrigation design.