Mapping the scientific landscape of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) in plant stress tolerance: a bibliometric and network analysis (2012–2025)

Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, temperature extremes, and heavy metal toxicity, continue to threaten global agricultural productivity, necessitating innovative strategies to improve plant resilience. Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have emerged as promising nanomaterials for enhancing plant stress tolerance through diverse physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms. Despite the growing body of literature, a bibliometric evaluation focusing specifically on SiNP-mediated plant stress tolerance remains lacking. This study presents a bibliometric and network analysis of 241 Scopus-indexed research articles published between 2012 and 2025 to map the intellectual structure, research trends, collaboration patterns, and emerging themes in the field. Analyses were performed using Bibliometrix/Biblioshiny and VOSviewer. The findings revealed a rapidly expanding research area, characterized by an annual growth rate of 38.8%, 1196 authors, 132 publication sources, and strong international collaboration. Keyword and thematic analyses identified abiotic stress mitigation, oxidative stress regulation, and molecular mechanisms associated with plant growth and productivity as the dominant research themes, while thematic evolution indicated a shift toward application-oriented and interdisciplinary research. In brief, this study provides a scientific baseline that identifies knowledge gaps, emerging research directions, and collaboration opportunities to support the future development of sustainable SiNP-based technologies for climate-resilient agriculture.