Constructing pathways for glycine betaine in cross-domain ecological restoration: a bibliometric analysis

Background Grassland ecosystems play a critical role in global ecological security and sustainable development. However, they are experiencing continuous functional decline due to multiple stresses under climate change. Glycine betaine (GB) has been systematically studied for enhancing stress tolerance in agricultural crops. Nevertheless, a knowledge gap exists regarding its application in the restoration of degraded grasslands. What social-ecological values might emerge from addressing this gap? Methods To address these questions, this study conducted a systematic bibliometric analysis of GB research from 1980 to 2023. The analysis was based on 295 core publications: 132 from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure and 163 from the Web of Science Core Collection. Tailored query strategies were employed in both databases to capture studies on exogenous GB application in plants. After rigorous screening to exclude irrelevant topics, the final corpus was analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. Analyses included keyword evolution, co-occurrence networks, research trajectory mapping, and collaboration pattern visualization. Results The analysis reveals a complementary global research landscape. International studies exhibit a “mechanism-oriented” trajectory, while Chinese research demonstrates an “application-driven” trajectory. However, research subjects are overwhelmingly concentrated on agricultural crops. Studies on keystone grassland species are nearly absent. Research settings are largely confined to controlled environments, lacking field validation and ecosystem-level assessments. This structural gap provides an empirical basis for further investigation. Building on it, this study adopts a “technology-ecology-society” integrated perspective. It proposes a conceptual five-node cyclic model: Technology → Ecology→ Well-being → People→ City→ Technology. The model redefines GB from a static “technological tool” into a dynamically evolving agent within the social-ecological system. It outlines a three-phase evolutionary pathway: Emergency Response, Functional Restructuring, and Model Transition. Conclusion The core value of the model lies in articulating that the migration of GB technology from agriculture to grassland restoration could initiate a virtuous cycle. Rural and urban residents respectively gain the economic and ecological values they currently lack. Enhanced well-being drives the stabilization and agglomeration of human resources. Urban prosperity reinforces technological innovation. This model serves as a heuristic tool. It provides a theoretical framework for the targeted migration of GB technology into grassland ecosystem restoration. It also offers a transferable conceptual model for other agricultural technologies entering ecosystem restoration domains.