Research progress on agricultural water information sensing and applications in high-altitude cold regions.

Agricultural water management is essential for food security in high-altitude cold regions, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Rocky Mountains, and the Alps. However, extreme environmental conditions-including low temperatures, intense radiation, and complex terrain-impede traditional hydrological monitoring. This narrative review systematically evaluates "space-air-ground" multi-source sensing technologies, summarizing recent advances in satellite remote sensing, low-altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and cold-resistant ground sensors to address these constraints. Beyond individual platforms, this study synthesizes how multi-source data fusion and edge computing enhance hydrological modeling and decision-making for regional drought monitoring, crop assessment, and precision irrigation. Finally, current challenges-such as insufficient cross-platform integration, limited data consistency, and poor model generalization-are critically analyzed, and future research directions are proposed to provide a theoretical framework for advancing smart irrigation.