Plant Phenotyping Research Trends, a Science Mapping Approach.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biology
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Plant phenotyping is vital for understanding crop genetics, environmental impacts, and breeding for productivity.
• The field has rapidly advanced due to technological innovations in imaging, automation, and data management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the evolution of plant phenotyping research over the past 20 years using bibliometric science mapping.
• To identify emerging trends, research opportunities, and key areas within plant phenotyping.

Main Methods:

• Bibliometric analysis of 1,827 scientific publications from 1997-2023.
• Quantitative mapping of scientific terms, cluster analysis to identify research groups.

Main Results:

• Significant growth in publications post-2010, driven by technological advancements.
• Three main research clusters identified: genetics, physiology, and imaging.
• Dominant model plants/crops studied include Arabidopsis thaliana, rice, and wheat, particularly for breeding and genomic selection.

Conclusions:

• Plant phenotyping is at the forefront of future plant breeding, with field applications rapidly developing and linking to precision agriculture.
• Future research should focus on a wider diversity of crops, real-world field conditions, and global knowledge dissemination, especially to emerging economies.
• Science mapping provides valuable insights for policymakers and research managers in this dynamic field.