Agronomy

Editorial

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3 pages, 201 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies

by Esther Salmerón-Manzano and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 1993; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11101993 - 1 Oct 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2065

Abstract

Agriculture has the large challenge of providing food for a continuously growing world population, while natural resources remain the same. This great challenge is certainly supported in the future by Agronomy, which brings together practical knowledge and scientifically based techniques and applies [...] Read more.

Agriculture has the large challenge of providing food for a continuously growing world population, while natural resources remain the same. This great challenge is certainly supported in the future by Agronomy, which brings together practical knowledge and scientifically based techniques and applies them to agricultural productivity. Research in agronomy at a global level must reflect global interests, while considering the particular conditions of each country or region. One of the main objectives of this Special Issue is to contribute studies that help to identify the global research trends in agronomy, especially if they have an approach related to sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

Research

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16 pages, 2736 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Advances in Precision Coffee Growing Research: A Bibliometric Review

by Lucas Santos Santana, Gabriel Araújo e Silva Ferraz, Alberdan José da Silva Teodoro, Mozarte Santos Santana, Giuseppe Rossi and Enrico Palchetti

Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1557; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081557 - 5 Aug 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6183

Abstract

Precision coffee-growing technologies contribute to increased yield, operational efficiency, and final product quality. In addition, they strengthen coffee growing in the global agricultural scenario, which makes this activity increasingly competitive. Scientific research is essential for technological development and offering security regarding its application. [...] Read more.

Precision coffee-growing technologies contribute to increased yield, operational efficiency, and final product quality. In addition, they strengthen coffee growing in the global agricultural scenario, which makes this activity increasingly competitive. Scientific research is essential for technological development and offering security regarding its application. For relevant research identification, bibliometric revision methods expose the best studies and their relationships with countries and authors, providing a complete map of research directions. This study identified the main contributions and contributors to academic research generation about precision coffee growing from 2000 to 2021. Bibliometric analysis was performed in VOSViewer software from the referential bases Scopus and Web of Science that identified 150 articles. Based on the number of citations, publications about precision coffee-growing showed Brazilian institutions at the top of the list, and Brazil’s close relationships with North American and South African institutions. Geostatistical analysis, remote sensing and spatial variability mapping of cultivation areas were used in most experimental research. A trend in research exploring machine learning technologies and autonomous systems was evident. The identification of the main agents of scientific development in precision coffee growing contributes to objective advances in the development and application of new management systems. Overall, this analysis represents wide precision coffee growing research providing valuable information for farmers, policymakers, and researchers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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18 pages, 11702 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Worldwide Research on the Ozone Influence in Plants

by Lucia Jimenez-Montenegro, Matilde Lopez-Fernandez and Estela Gimenez

Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1504; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081504 - 28 Jul 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3296

Abstract

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is a secondary air pollutant and a greenhouse gas, whose concentration has been increasing since the industrial era and is expected to increase further in the near future. O₃ molecules can be inhaled by humans and animals, [...] Read more.

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) is a secondary air pollutant and a greenhouse gas, whose concentration has been increasing since the industrial era and is expected to increase further in the near future. O₃ molecules can be inhaled by humans and animals, causing significant health problems; they can also diffuse through the leaf stomata of plants, triggering significant phytotoxic damage that entails a weakening of the plant, reducing its ability to cope with other abiotic and biotic stresses. This eventually leads to a reduction in the yield and quality of crops, which is a serious problem as it puts global food security at risk. Due to the importance of this issue, a bibliometric analysis on O₃ in the plant research field is carried out through the Web of Science (WoS) database. Different aspects of the publications are analysed, such as the number of documents published per year, the corresponding scientific areas, distribution of documents by countries, institutions and languages, publication type and affiliations, and, finally, special attention is paid to O₃ study in plants by means of studies about the word occurrence frequency in titles and abstracts, and the articles most frequently cited. The bibliometric study shows the great effort made by the scientific community in order to understand the damages caused by O₃ in plants, which will help reduce the big losses that O₃ causes in agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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19 pages, 2930 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Global Trends in Coffee Agronomy Research

by Héctor Madrid-Casaca, Guido Salazar-Sepúlveda, Nicolás Contreras-Barraza, Miseldra Gil-Marín and Alejandro Vega-Muñoz

Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1471; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081471 - 24 Jul 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4925

Abstract

This article empirically provides a scientific production trends overview of coffee agronomy at the global level, allowing us to understand the structure of the epistemic community on this topic. The knowledge contributions documented are examined using a bibliometric approach (spatial, productive, and relational) [...] Read more.

This article empirically provides a scientific production trends overview of coffee agronomy at the global level, allowing us to understand the structure of the epistemic community on this topic. The knowledge contributions documented are examined using a bibliometric approach (spatial, productive, and relational) based on data from 1618 records stored in the Web of Science (JCR and ESCI) between 1963 and May 2021, applying traditional bibliometric laws and using VOSviewer for the massive treatment of data and metadata. At the results level, there was an exponential increase in scientific production in the last six decades, with a concentration on only 15 specific journals; the insertion of new investigative peripheral and semiperipheral countries and organizations in worldwide relevance coauthorship networks, an evolution of almost 60 years in relevant thematic issues; and a co-occurring concentration in three large blocks: environmental sustainability of forestry, biological growth variables of coffee, and biotechnology of coffee species; topic blocks that, although in interaction, constitute three specific communities of knowledge production that have been delineated over time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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19 pages, 5791 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification and Analysis of Strawberries’ Consumer Opinions on Twitter for Marketing Purposes

by Juan D. Borrero and Alberto Zabalo

Agronomy 2021, 11(4), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040809 - 20 Apr 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3720

Abstract

Data are currently characterized as the world’s most valuable resource and agriculture is responding to this global trend. The challenge in that particular field of study is to create a Digital Agriculture that help the agri-food sector grow in a fair, competitive environment. [...] Read more.

Data are currently characterized as the world’s most valuable resource and agriculture is responding to this global trend. The challenge in that particular field of study is to create a Digital Agriculture that help the agri-food sector grow in a fair, competitive environment. As automated machine learning techniques and big data are global research trends in agronomy, this paper aims at comparing different marketing techniques based on Content Analysis to determine the feasibility of using Twitter to design marketing strategies and to determine which techniques are more effective, in particular, for the strawberry industry. A total of 2249 hashtags were subjected to Content Analysis using the Word-count technique, Grounded Theory Method (GTM), and Network Analysis (NA). Findings confirm the results of previous studies regarding Twitter’s potential as a useful source of information due to its lower execution and analysis costs. In general, NA is more effective, cheaper, and faster for Content Analysis than that based both on GTM and automated Word-count. This paper reveals the potential of strawberry-related Twitter data for conducting berry consumer studies, useful in increasing the competitiveness of the berry sector and filling an important gap in the literature by providing guidance on the challenge of data science in agronomy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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25 pages, 2639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transfer of Agricultural and Biological Sciences Research to Patents: The Case of EU-27

by Mila Cascajares, Alfredo Alcayde, Esther Salmerón-Manzano and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020252 - 29 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3367

Abstract

Agriculture as an economic activity and agronomy as a science must provide food for a constantly growing population. Research in this field is therefore becoming increasingly essential. Much of the research is carried out in academic institutions and then developed in the private [...] Read more.

Agriculture as an economic activity and agronomy as a science must provide food for a constantly growing population. Research in this field is therefore becoming increasingly essential. Much of the research is carried out in academic institutions and then developed in the private sector. Patents do not have to be issued through scientific institutions. Patents from scientific institutions are intended to have a certain economic return on the investment made in research when the patent is transferred to industry. A bibliometric analysis was carried out using the Scopus and SciVal databases. This study analyses all the research carried out in the field of agronomy and related sciences (Agricultural and Biological Sciences category of Scopus database) by EU-27 countries, which has been cited in at least one international patent. The data show that out of about 1 million published works only about 28,000 have been used as a source of patents. This study highlights the main countries and institutions in terms of this transfer. Among these, Germany, France and Spain stand out in absolute terms, but considering the degree of specialization. Regarding their specialization the institution ranking is led by Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (58%), AgroParisTech (52%), Wageningen University & Research (48%), and INRAE (38%). It also analyses which journals used for this transfer are most important. For these publications more than 90% of the articles have had a higher-than-expected citation level for the year of publication, the type of publication and the discipline in which they are categorized. The most-obtained research fields can be distinguished as those related to genetics or mo-lecular biology, those related to specific foods, such as cheeses, milk, breads or oils, and, thirdly, the group covering food-related constituents such as caseins, probiotics, glutens, or starch. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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16 pages, 2269 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Look at the Past, Present and Future Research Trends of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture

by José Luis Ruiz-Real, Juan Uribe-Toril, José Antonio Torres Arriaza and Jaime de Pablo Valenciano

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1839; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111839 - 22 Nov 2020

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 9690

Abstract

Technification in agriculture has resulted in the inclusion of more efficient companies that have evolved into a more complex sector focused on production and quality. Artificial intelligence, one of the relevant areas of technology, is transforming the agriculture sector by reducing the consumption [...] Read more.

Technification in agriculture has resulted in the inclusion of more efficient companies that have evolved into a more complex sector focused on production and quality. Artificial intelligence, one of the relevant areas of technology, is transforming the agriculture sector by reducing the consumption and use of resources. This research uses a bibliometric methodology and a fractional counting method of clustering to analyze the scientific literature on the topic, reviewing 2629 related documents recorded on the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The study found significant results regarding the most relevant and prolific authors (Hoogenboom), supporting research organizations (National Natural Science Foundation of China) and countries (U.S., China, India, or Iran). The identification of leaders in this field gives researchers new possibilities for new lines of research based on previous studies. An in-depth examination of authors’ keywords identified different clusters and trends linking Artificial Intelligence and green economy, sustainable development, climate change, and the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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Review

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32 pages, 3843 KiB

Open AccessReview

Plant Agronomic Features Can Predict Quality and Field Performance: A Bibliometric Analysis

by Victor M. Gallegos-Cedillo, Fernando Diánez, Cinthia Nájera and Mila Santos

Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2305; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11112305 - 15 Nov 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5606

Abstract

Plant quality and survival prediction tools are useful when applied in the field in different agricultural sectors. The objectives of this study were to conduct a review and bibliometric analysis of the Dickson Quality Index (DQI) as a key plant quality indicator and [...] Read more.

Plant quality and survival prediction tools are useful when applied in the field in different agricultural sectors. The objectives of this study were to conduct a review and bibliometric analysis of the Dickson Quality Index (DQI) as a key plant quality indicator and with respect to its scientific applications. A third objective was to identify the main morphological and physiological parameters used in plant production research. The methodology and findings of 289 scientific articles were analysed based on the morphological, physiological, and mathematical parameters used as plant quality indicators in research on forest, medicinal, horticultural, aromatic, and ornamental species. During the last 10 years, the number of publications that have used the DQI as a plant quality parameter has increased by 150%, and Brazilian researchers stand out as the most frequent users. Forestry is the discipline where quality parameters and their biometric relationships are most often used to facilitate intensive plant production. Use of the DQI increases the certainty of prediction, selection, and productivity in the plant production chain. The DQI is a robust tool with scientific application and great potential for use in the preselection of plants with high quality standards among a wide range of plant species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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24 pages, 5939 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

An Overview of Cooperative Robotics in Agriculture

by Chris Lytridis, Vassilis G. Kaburlasos, Theodore Pachidis, Michalis Manios, Eleni Vrochidou, Theofanis Kalampokas and Stamatis Chatzistamatis

Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091818 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 97 | Viewed by 16672

Abstract

Agricultural robotics has been a popular subject in recent years from an academic as well as a commercial point of view. This is because agricultural robotics addresses critical issues such as seasonal shortages in manual labor, e.g., during harvest, as well as the [...] Read more.

Agricultural robotics has been a popular subject in recent years from an academic as well as a commercial point of view. This is because agricultural robotics addresses critical issues such as seasonal shortages in manual labor, e.g., during harvest, as well as the increasing concern regarding environmentally friendly practices. On one hand, several individual agricultural robots have already been developed for specific tasks (e.g., for monitoring, spraying, harvesting, transport, etc.) with varying degrees of effectiveness. On the other hand, the use of cooperative teams of agricultural robots in farming tasks is not as widespread; yet, it is an emerging trend. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the work carried out so far in the area of cooperative agricultural robotics and identifies the state-of-the-art. This paper also outlines challenges to be addressed in fully automating agricultural production; the latter is promising for sustaining an increasingly vast human population, especially in cases of pandemics such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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15 pages, 6037 KiB

Open AccessReview

Experimental Economics in Agriculture: A Review of Worldwide Research

by Ernesto Mesa-Vázquez, Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz, José A. Aznar-Sánchez and Belén López-Felices

Agronomy 2021, 11(8), 1566; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11081566 - 5 Aug 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3724

Abstract

Over the last two decades, experimental economics has been gaining relevance in the research of a wide range of issues related to agriculture. In turn, the agricultural activity provides an excellent field of study within which to validate the use of instruments employed [...] Read more.

Over the last two decades, experimental economics has been gaining relevance in the research of a wide range of issues related to agriculture. In turn, the agricultural activity provides an excellent field of study within which to validate the use of instruments employed by experimental economics. The aim of this study is to analyze the dynamics of the research on the application of experimental economics in agriculture on a global level. Thus, a literature review has been carried out for the period between the years 2000 and 2020 based on a bibliometric study. The main results show that there has been a growing use of experimental economics methods in the research on agriculture, particularly over the last five years. This evolution is evident in the different indicators analyzed and is reflected in the greater scientific production and number of actors involved. The most relevant topics within the research on experimental economics in agriculture focus on the farmer, the markets, the consumer, environmental policy, and public goods. These results can be useful for policy makers and researchers interested in this line of research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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20 pages, 1477 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Use of Water in Agriculture in Mexico and Its Sustainable Management: A Bibliometric Review

by Claudia A. Ochoa-Noriega, José A. Aznar-Sánchez, Juan F. Velasco-Muñoz and Alejandro Álvarez-Bejar

Agronomy 2020, 10(12), 1957; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10121957 - 12 Dec 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7076

Abstract

The development of agricultural activity in Mexico is generating environmental externalities that could compromise its future. One of the principal challenges facing the Mexican agricultural sector is to find a way to continue growing without jeopardising the availability and quality of its water [...] Read more.

The development of agricultural activity in Mexico is generating environmental externalities that could compromise its future. One of the principal challenges facing the Mexican agricultural sector is to find a way to continue growing without jeopardising the availability and quality of its water resources. The objective of this article is to analyse the dynamics of the research on the use of water in agriculture in Mexico and its sustainable management. To do this, a review and a bibliometric analysis have been carried out on a sample of 1490 articles. The results show that the research has focused on the pollution of water bodies, climate change, the quality of water, the application of technology in order to make water use more efficient, biodiversity, erosion, agronomic practices that reduce water consumption, underground water sources, and conservation agriculture. Although research focusing on sustainability is still in its infancy, it has become a priority field. A gap in the research has been detected in terms of the economic and social dimensions of sustainability. There is also a lack of holistic studies that include all three of the pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worldwide Trends in Agronomy Research: Bibliometric Studies)

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