Advancing horticultural knowledge of Asparagus officinalis L. A comprehensive bibliometric and thematic analysis (1853–2025)

Abstract

Background/Aim: Asparagus officinalis L. has attracted increasing scientific interest because of its agricultural, genetic, and pharmacological significance. This study aimed to systematically map intellectual and conceptual structures, growth patterns, and emerging trends in A. officinalis research from 1853 to 2025.Methods: A bibliometric and conceptual analysis was conducted using the Scopus database following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A total of 1,065 original research articles were retrieved and analyzed. Bibliometric indicators, keyword mapping, co-citation clustering, and citation burst analyses were performed using Bibliometrix (RStudio), VOSviewer and CiteSpace.Results: Scientific production exhibited a steady increase with notable surges after 2000. Japan, China, and the USA have emerged as leading contributors. Core journals were identified according to Bradford’s law and key scholars were ranked by their local H-index. Thematic evolution revealed two major shifts in knowledge around 2001 and 2017, highlighting a transition toward molecular biology, genomics, and health-related studies. Eleven conceptual clusters were detected, with high Silhouette values indicating strong clustering quality. Emerging research hotspots include metabolomics, transcriptomics, and medicine.Conclusion: This comprehensive bibliometric analysis revealed the dynamic growth and conceptual diversification of A. officinalis research, offering valuable insights into historical developments, current trends, and future research directions