Global trends in inland low-salinity farming of Penaeus vannamei : bibliometric insight into production systems, physiology, and nutrition

This review provides a bibliometric-based critical synthesis of global research on low-salinity farming of Penaeus vannamei, with specific emphasis on inland production systems. Scientific literature indexed in Scopus was analyzed to characterize temporal trends, leading countries, and international collaboration networks. These patterns were complemented by qualitative content analysis of the most cited and most recent studies, organizing current knowledge into major thematic axes: osmoregulation and ionic composition, water management and system engineering, nutrition and functional additives, microbiota and probiotics, stress physiology, immunity, and molecular approaches. The synthesis shows that the intensification of inland farming in oligohaline environments has generated strong evidence for the central role of ionic correction—particularly Na+:K+ and Mg2+:Ca2+ ratios—and control of toxic nitrogenous compounds in sustaining growth performance, physiological homeostasis, and immune competence. At the same time, research remains fragmented, with relatively few integrative studies under commercial-scale conditions. By intersecting bibliometric trends with technical gaps, this review highlights priorities for multivariate low-salinity experiments, standardization of physiological, microbiological, and molecular indicators, and integrative approaches linking performance, biosecurity, and environmental sustainability in inland low-salinity farming of P. vannamei.