Insights Into Soil Health in Sugarcane From a Bibliometric Analysis: Brazil's Scientific Contribution to the World

ABSTRACT Understanding how sugarcane‐based production systems influence soil health is essential for advancing sustainable bioenergy pathways in tropical regions. We conducted a comprehensive bibliometric and systematic analysis of peer‐reviewed literature published between 2000 and 2025 to evaluate scientific advances, research trends, and knowledge gaps related to carbon, chemical, physical, and biological indicators in Brazilian sugarcane fields. A total of 393 articles were screened from Scopus and Web of Science using the PRISMA protocol, resulting in 98 carbon, 68 chemical, 148 physical, and 79 biological studies. Bibliometric analyses were performed in R, Gephi, and SigmaPlot, while spatial patterns were assessed using QGIS. Publication and citation trends showed a marked increase after 2010, coinciding with the expansion of mechanized harvesting, elimination of straw burning, and strengthened climate and bioenergy policies. Keyword co‐occurrence revealed “soil compaction” and “soil organic matter” as central research axes, reflecting concerns associated with mechanized traffic, carbon cycling, and long‐term soil degradation. Across all article groups, chemical and physical indicators were the most frequently assessed, whereas biological attributes remained consistently underrepresented. NPK, SOM/SOC, bulk density, and soil porosity were the most common analyzed variables, while microbial biomass and enzyme activity dominated the limited set of biological assessments. Spatial analyses showed a strong geographical concentration of studies in São Paulo State, indicating major regional research asymmetries. Overall, our findings highlight substantial scientific progress in soil health research within Brazilian sugarcane systems but also reveal persistent gaps, especially in biological indicators and integrative, multi‐attribute approaches.