The Evolution of Microplastics Research: Global Trends and Agricultural Implications

ABSTRACT Microplastics (MPs) are a growing concern due to their impact on ecosystems and human health. To identify the layout of the global research landscape, emerging topics, and future directions of MP research, particularly in the agricultural context, this study analyzed 16,134 publications from the period 2014 to 2023. The findings revealed a significant increase in MP publications, with China and India emerging as main contributors. Domestic citations, especially in emerging topics, have increased, potentially indicating reducing international information exchange. Seventy‐six topics were identified, with marine environments appearing in 39.8% of publications, while terrestrial (12.5%) and agricultural ecosystems (3.1%) showed substantial growth. At the same time, research on the effects of MP pollution is changing focus from aquatic life, such as fish (24.9%), to topics in the agricultural context, such as MP effects on soil microbes (3.5%) and terrestrial plants (6%). In the agricultural context, six main topics were identified: agricultural plastics, biosolids, pollutant interactions, microbial interactions, environmental risks, and human risks. The findings provide a comprehensive overview of the current research environment. Future research should prioritize understanding critical questions about MP sources, climate change effects, contaminant interactions, and impacts on microorganisms and human health. While exploring the long‐term impacts of MPs on agricultural ecosystems, international collaboration and information exchange should be emphasized to address regional research gaps. While these results reflect the dominant trends in the field, further research incorporating a broader set of countries and language sources could provide a more nuanced global perspective.