This review article provides a comprehensive analysis of the technical advancements and research trends in solar drying technologies for agricultural products. The study encompasses various innovations in energy storage systems, including phase change materials (PCMs) and the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for optimizing the drying process. Through a bibliometric analysis of 126 scientific papers published between 1984 and 2024, five major research clusters were identified: energy generation, heat transfer, thermal storage, simulation modeling, and the integration of hybrid systems. The results demonstrate a marked increase in scientific output over the past decade, emphasizing a growing interest in the sustainable use of solar energy for drying applications. Key findings highlight that while PCM-based storage solutions significantly enhance the thermal stability of dryers, the high implementation costs and technical complexities limit their adoption, especially in small-scale operations. Similarly, CFD models have proven effective in optimizing air and temperature distribution within dryers; however, their performance is hindered by real-world fluctuations in solar radiation and humidity levels. To address these limitations, future research should focus on the development of cost-effective PCM materials and the improvement of CFD models for dynamic environmental conditions. The review concludes by emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in the design and application of these technologies, recommending the inclusion of real-world case studies to better illustrate the practical implications and economic benefits of solar drying technologies for agricultural production.

The use of protected agriculture structures in tropical and subtropical countries is the main alternative for intensification of agricultural production selected by producers. In general, in these regions, passive and plastic-covered structures predominate, with natural ventilation as the only method of climate control. This phenomenon has been widely studied in different types of structures using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Therefore, this review aimed to collect and analyze the publications generated in this field of knowledge between 2010 and 2020. The search for information included the main academic databases available on the web and the analysis was carried out using bibliometric techniques, from which it was possible to identify details inherent to the scientific production, such as countries of origin, main authors, journals, and citations. Likewise, a detailed breakdown of the relevant technical information of the three phases of numerical simulation, such as preprocessing, processing, and postprocessing, was carried out. A compilation of 118 papers published in 65 journals, written by 256 authors, originating from 24 countries was achieved, where it was evident that Mexico and Colombia were the countries with the highest scientific production in the last decade. These papers analyzed, together, a total of 17 different types of structures where polyethylene-covered greenhouses predominated, with steady state simulations, for daytime climate conditions and without the presence of crops. Within the current and future research trends, the predominance of studies analyzing passive climate control methods, new models of insect-proof mesh-house structures, and, finally, studies focused on the structural analysis of greenhouses was found.

The integration of the circular economy in agriculture has promoted sustainable innovation in food production systems such as horticulture. The present paper illustrates how horticulture is transitioning to the circular economy. This research field’s performance approaches and trends were assessed through a bibliometric and text-mining analysis of the literature. Our findings revealed that circular horticulture is a recent research field that is constantly growing. Its approach has been neither systemic nor integrative but fragmented. Bioeconomy, urban agriculture, recycled nutrients, biochar, fertigation, and desalination have been positioned as research hotspots. Vegetables and fruits are the most studied crops. Resource circulation has focused primarily on biowaste recovery to provide benefits such as biofertilizers and linear-substrate substitutes, and on water reuse for the establishment of hydroponic systems. The One Health approach is scarcely explored and, therefore, weakly articulated, wherein the absence of assessment methodologies encompassing the health of ecosystems, animals, and people is a notable limitation. Science-policy interfaces between One Health and food systems need to be improved. Lastly, greenhouse technologies are aligned with bioenergy, sustainable materials, and sensing technologies. Challenges and directions for future research have been raised to promote the redesign of horticultural production systems, integrating long-term circularity.

CO₂ enrichment in protected agriculture has been extensively studied as a strategy to enhance crop productivity, resource use efficiency, and climate resilience. This systematic review examines the scientific literature on CO₂ enrichment in greenhouses, vertical farms, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems, with a focus on its impact on crop physiology, photosynthesis, agricultural yield, modeling and simulation techniques, injection technologies, and sustainability challenges. A comprehensive bibliometric and systematic search was conducted in the Scopus database using key terms related to CO₂ enrichment and sustainable protected agriculture, following the PRISMA methodology. From an initial set of 212 documents, 171 were selected after removing duplicates, inaccessible articles, and studies not directly relevant to this context. The findings indicate that CO₂ enrichment can significantly improve photosynthetic efficiency, water use efficiency, and crop productivity, although its impact varies depending on species, environmental conditions, and application strategies. Computational models, such as CFD and machine learning, have optimized CO₂ distribution in controlled environments, contributing to more precise and resource-efficient agricultural practices. However, environmental and economic concerns, particularly energy consumption, carbon footprint, and the sustainability of CO₂ sources, remain critical challenges. To ensure the sustainable adoption of CO₂ enrichment, it is essential to integrate renewable energy sources, carbon capture and reuse technologies, and advanced CO₂ injection systems. This review provides a holistic assessment of current knowledge, identifying opportunities and barriers for the development of climate-smart protected agriculture systems that align with global sustainability goals and contribute to food security and environmental stewardship.

Researchers and practitioners use life cycle assessment (LCA) as a powerful tool to thoroughly assess the environmental impact of protected agriculture. However, the literature in this field has shown heterogeneity, which is characterized by inconsistent methodologies and assumptions. Identifying prevailing trends and resolving existing limitations is necessary to generate robust results and guide future work. Here, we conduct a bibliometric and systematic review to explore how LCA applications have addressed protected agriculture. The bibliometric analysis unveils trends in scientific productivity, spanning temporal evolution and geographic distribution, while also identifying prominent research avenues. The systematic review traces the historical trajectory of agricultural LCA and scrutinizes methodological decisions across the standard LCA phases: (i) objective and scope, (ii) life cycle inventory, (iii) impact assessment, and (iv) interpretation. We summarize and discuss the reported environmentally friendly practices and provide a qualitative interpretation of the LCA findings. Moreover, we pinpoint key methodological challenges and propose research horizons. It is crucial to note that the environmental benefits of protected agriculture are context-dependent, with climate change emerging as a critical factor influencing crop yields and the system’s input and output resources. This impact is particularly pronounced in terms of water and energy consumption and carbon emissions. In regions with extreme climates, protected agriculture provides solutions for producers aiming to attain high yields of top-quality crops. The integration of circular bioeconomy strategies in this context allows mitigation of the environmental trade-offs identified by LCA.

This study addresses solar energy applications in protected agriculture, focusing on greenhouses and related technologies. A bibliometric and technical analysis is developed, covering research published between 1976 and 2024, to identify the main trends and challenges in the use of solar energy in controlled environments. The methodology was based on the PRISMA approach, using the Scopus database to retrieve relevant documents. From an initial total of 221 documents, 216 were selected after a filtering and debugging process, ensuring the relevance of the final set. In the analytical phase, the results showed a moderate growth of 3.68% in the annual publication rate, highlighting the impact of research on solar energy’s application to air conditioning and energy efficiency in greenhouses. Most of the studies reviewed feature hybrid systems that combine solar energy with other resources, and we highlight both advances in climate control through artificial intelligence and the implementation of photovoltaic and thermal technologies to improve the energy efficiency of agricultural systems. The results also underline the importance of tomato cultivation in the selected studies, reflecting its global economic impact. The conclusions highlight the need for the further integration of energy storage and desalination technologies, especially in arid regions with high solar irradiation, to ensure the sustainability of greenhouses. It is proposed that future research should address the wider implementation of hybrid systems and advanced climate control technologies, optimizing both the use of energy resources and the performance of crops under cover. In addition, it is recommended that international collaboration be strengthened to address technical and climatic challenges in protected agriculture and to expand the adoption of innovative solutions in different geographical contexts.