Bibliometric Network Analysis of Crop Yield Gap Research over the Past Three Decades

Achieving global food security requires an understanding of the current status and the future trends in the yield gap for cropping systems worldwide. The aim of this study was to scientifically understand the existing yield gap research, recognize the knowledge base and influential articles, and uncover key research themes and how these have evolved over the past three decades. Bibliometric methods were used to analyze articles related to the yield gap available in the largest scientific database, the Web of Science. A total of 6049 relevant articles published from 1993 to 2023 were numerically analyzed for patterns, trends, and clusters. The findings identified a few primary authors of widely cited publications. Geographically, the United States and China were the two major contributors to the publication pool, with articles from China mostly affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China Agricultural University, while the United States had a more scattered distribution of affiliated institutions. The research on yield gaps primarily focused on biological factors, such as the effects of crop varieties, agronomic management, climate change, and soil conditions, with a limited exploration of social and economic factors. Within the auspices of the current food issues worldwide, this study provides a thorough view of the progress and key topics in crop yield gap research, contributing to the existing body of knowledge and providing guidance for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders involved in agricultural productivity enhancement and sustainable food production. Amid the increasing trend in hunger worldwide over the past decade, we thus concluded that, by establishing appropriate benchmarks, re-prioritizing research needs, and focusing on transforming natural resources rather than inputs, the crop yield gap approach can be useful in terms of the clear inclusion of local contexts and socioeconomic constraints.