Trends and hot spots of research on coated fertilizers based on CiteSpace

Enhancing green practices and increasing fertilizer use efficiency are critical to addressing global food security challenges, driving increased research into coated fertilizers to sustainably boost crop productivity. A 15-year bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace was performed on Web of Science data to reveal research trends and hotspots. Publications on coated fertilizers have steadily increased (2010—2024), led by institutions such as Shandong Agricultural University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, across fields including agronomy and environmental science. Current research focuses on optimizing coatings to reduce costs and enhance biodegradability, with trends emphasizing efficiency, low carbon emissions, and intelligent delivery systems. Future research should emphasize long-term field trials, modeling, and environmental benefit assessment to support region-specific frameworks for emission reduction. This study provides a reference for future development directions of coated fertilizers.