In recent decades, the interest of the scientific community in plant space biology increased based on the certainty that cultivating higher plants in space is imperative for prolonged human missions. The cultivation of plants in space assumes great relevance moved by the consideration that there is a pivotal need to improve resource regeneration and onboard production of plant-based food, thus reducing the supply of resources from Earth. Therefore, the hereby paper provides an overview on the evolution of the interest in plant space biology from 2000 to 2023, basing the search on specific keyword combinations. The study encompasses (i) a proper quantitative search on the Scopus database; (ii) keyword frequencies and clustering analysis, (iii) a keyword network and time-gradient analysis and (iv) an elaboration of knowledge gaps comparing our results and recent reviews. Results highlighted an increase in publications in the last 10 years and a specific time-gradient related shifting on subtopics such as in situ resource utilization (ISRU) application and food production in a space mission context. Currently, knowledge gaps were identified in four research areas related to water dynamics in extra-terrestrial environments, plant physiology and biochemistry in response to growth on regolith, interactions with fertilizers, and plant/soil microbiome. Identifying these gaps will allow to canalize future efforts of space research where needed, facing the unsolved questions. Our analysis pointed out that space plant biology turned out to be oriented towards short and long-term space mission applications for improving resource regeneration and onboard/extraterrestrial-grounded production of plant-based food, thereby diminishing reliance on Earth for resupply.
Where is the plant-space research going? An overview on the last two decades through bibliometric network multi-analysis / Lorenz, Christian; Hay Mele, Bruno; Arena, Carmen. - In: ACTA ASTRONAUTICA. - ISSN 0094-5765. - 221:(2024), pp. 26-33. [10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.05.022]
Where is the plant-space research going? An overview on the last two decades through bibliometric network multi-analysis
Lorenz, ChristianPrimo
;Hay Mele, BrunoSecondo
;Arena, Carmen
Ultimo
2024
Abstract
In recent decades, the interest of the scientific community in plant space biology increased based on the certainty that cultivating higher plants in space is imperative for prolonged human missions. The cultivation of plants in space assumes great relevance moved by the consideration that there is a pivotal need to improve resource regeneration and onboard production of plant-based food, thus reducing the supply of resources from Earth. Therefore, the hereby paper provides an overview on the evolution of the interest in plant space biology from 2000 to 2023, basing the search on specific keyword combinations. The study encompasses (i) a proper quantitative search on the Scopus database; (ii) keyword frequencies and clustering analysis, (iii) a keyword network and time-gradient analysis and (iv) an elaboration of knowledge gaps comparing our results and recent reviews. Results highlighted an increase in publications in the last 10 years and a specific time-gradient related shifting on subtopics such as in situ resource utilization (ISRU) application and food production in a space mission context. Currently, knowledge gaps were identified in four research areas related to water dynamics in extra-terrestrial environments, plant physiology and biochemistry in response to growth on regolith, interactions with fertilizers, and plant/soil microbiome. Identifying these gaps will allow to canalize future efforts of space research where needed, facing the unsolved questions. Our analysis pointed out that space plant biology turned out to be oriented towards short and long-term space mission applications for improving resource regeneration and onboard/extraterrestrial-grounded production of plant-based food, thereby diminishing reliance on Earth for resupply.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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