Design and Optimization of Soil-Engaging Components for Intelligent Seedbed Preparation in Water-Limited Cropping Systems: A Critical Review

<jats:p>Intelligent seedbed preparation requires more than an optimized soil-engaging component: field condition must be diagnosed, a controllable setting must be adjusted, and the resulting soil zone must be verified. This critical review synthesizes 132 unique sources across soil mechanics, component design, numerical modeling, field validation, and sensing-control research for water-limited cropping systems. Evidence was compared as bounded within-study contrasts rather than pooled effects because outcome definitions, soils, operating regimes, and validation scales differ. Four recurring conflicts organize the synthesis: fracture versus draft, tilth versus evaporative exposure, residue retention versus blockage, and immediate loosening versus persistence. Reported examples include an increase in the &lt;50 mm aggregate fraction from 76.1% to 88.0%, a study-specific fragmentation index increase from 83.0% to 94.54%, a 43–47% reduction in penetration resistance after geometry-optimized loosening, and rainfall-dependent water-use-efficiency gains of 6.0–11.7% after subsoiling. These values are retained as study-specific anchors, not universal settings. The proposed framework adds value by linking four decision stages—field diagnosis, component design, controlled operation, and post-pass verification—while explicitly separating conventional optimization, monitored operation, and closed-loop intelligent control.</jats:p>