Agricultural methane reduction through alternate wetting and drying: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Methane emissions from the agricultural sector represent a critical challenge for global climate change mitigation. This study aims to map the patterns, trends, and development of research on methane emission reduction in the agricultural sector through the implementation of Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) using a bibliometric approach. Scientific publication data were collected from Scopus and analyzed following the PRISMA method, resulting in 325 relevant articles for analysis using VOSviewer. The results reveal a significant increase in publications, particularly after 2021, and identify five main thematic clusters ranging from biophysical responses to environmental quality. Temporal analysis indicates a shift in research focus from biophysical approaches toward the integration of climate mitigation, resource-use efficiency, and sustainable agricultural systems. This study concludes that AWD is an effective mitigation strategy with strong potential to reduce methane emissions without compromising rice productivity. Ultimately, these findings underscore the necessity of integrating AWD into future sustainable agricultural policies and climate mitigation actions to advance low-carbon food production globally.

Keywords: Alternate wetting and drying, bibliometric analysis, low-carbon agriculture, methane emission reduction, sustainable agriculture