Horticulture enters digital age: AI, automation and smart farming redefine future of cultivation

Keyword analysis reveals that five main research clusters define the current landscape: precision cultivation, genetic enhancement, controlled-environment agriculture, plant physiology, and agricultural education. Thematically, AI, sensor technologies, and robotics are redefining how growers manage resources and monitor crop health. Automation has become central, enabling tasks like fruit picking, pesticide spraying, and weeding to be conducted with minimal human input.

A new study published in the journal Horticulturae maps the transformation of horticulture through the lens of digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and robotic automation. By tracing nearly five decades of scientific research, the study offers an expansive view of how technology is reshaping one of the world’s most critical agricultural sectors.

The report, titled "Shaping the Future of Horticulture: Innovative Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotic Automation Through a Bibliometric Lens" highlights that horticulture’s future depends on the convergence of data-driven tools, international collaboration, and socially responsible policy.

How has horticultural technology research evolved globally?

Scientific attention to horticultural technologies has surged since 2000, with the pace of publications accelerating especially after 2015. From modest beginnings in the 1990s, the field has matured into a core area of agricultural innovation. The study analyzed 949 filtered publications from the Web of Science database between 1979 and 2025, showing that 2023 and 2024 were peak years for research output.

The driving factors include rising global interest in sustainable farming, the incorporation of precision agriculture, and growing reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. These tools are being deployed for smart irrigation, yield forecasting, pest and disease detection, and nutrient management. Notably, LED lighting systems for controlled environment agriculture and autonomous robots for harvesting have also entered the mainstream, reducing manual labor and improving crop quality.

However, the study highlights disparities in global research participation. While high-output nations such as the United States, China, the Netherlands, and Germany dominate, regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia are emerging as promising hubs, particularly for technology adoption and adaptation to climate-stressed environments.

What are the dominant technologies and themes reshaping horticulture?

Keyword analysis reveals that five main research clusters define the current landscape: precision cultivation, genetic enhancement, controlled-environment agriculture, plant physiology, and agricultural education. Thematically, AI, sensor technologies, and robotics are redefining how growers manage resources and monitor crop health. Automation has become central, enabling tasks like fruit picking, pesticide spraying, and weeding to be conducted with minimal human input.

The green cluster focuses on genomics and in vitro propagation techniques, indicating a heavy investment in biotechnologies to produce stress-resistant, higher-yielding crops. The blue cluster targets soilless culture systems, closed greenhouses, and light optimization - an area rapidly expanding through vertical farming and urban horticulture solutions. A smaller but growing focus on training and distance education in horticultural technologies signals an effort to bridge the knowledge gap, particularly for smallholder farmers in developing economies.

The integration of blockchain for supply chain traceability and smart contracts is another frontier that the study identifies as transformative, especially in ensuring product authenticity, food safety, and farm-to-fork transparency.

Who are the key global players and what do the collaboration networks look like?

The analysis identifies a small but influential group of authors and institutions spearheading horticultural tech research. Cary A. Mitchell and Nazim Gruda top the citation rankings, despite having fewer publications than prolific contributors like Singh B. and Elisa Apolloni. Their work has shaped vertical farming, hydroponics, and sustainable agriculture systems.

Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands emerges as the preeminent institutional hub, followed closely by Purdue University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. These organizations are at the heart of high-impact, interdisciplinary research consortia spanning the US, Europe, China, and increasingly, Africa.

At the country level, the United States and China lead global horticultural research in both volume and influence. Notably, India, Ghana, and Nigeria are seen strengthening regional alliances, often in collaboration with European or Australian universities. This reflects a broader shift towards localized technological adaptation and south-south cooperation.

The study also maps how clusters of researchers coalesce around topics like automation (blue), sustainability (green), digitalization (orange), and precision agriculture (yellow), underscoring the sector’s multidisciplinary evolution.

Looking Ahead: Strategic Recommendations and Policy Implications

While horticulture is clearly entering a new digital epoch, the researchers warn that adoption lags persist due to cost, complexity, and knowledge barriers, particularly among smallholder farmers. The authors urge policymakers to create incentives for inclusive technology dissemination, training programs, and regional innovation hubs.

They recommend ramping up investment in low-energy and climate-resilient systems, such as smart greenhouses, closed-loop irrigation, and biodegradable packaging. Furthermore, they call for embedding sustainability frameworks into digital farming platforms so that farmers can track and improve their environmental performance in real-time.

Educational reform also features prominently in the recommendations. The study advocates for integrating AI, robotics, and precision agriculture into agronomy curricula worldwide, in both digital and hands-on formats.