Research status of winter irrigation based on bibliometric analysis

Winter irrigation refers specifically to the management of field irrigation in agricultural production under extremely cold conditions, typically applied before soil freezing in winter. Its basic principle is to use the special physical properties of water to regulate the soil environment. It should be distinguished from the cultivation of winter crops (e.g., winter wheat), as winter irrigation focuses on soil water and heat dynamics rather than crop-specific growth processes. It is critical to clarify the definition of winter irrigation and distinguish it from irrigation for winter crops to avoid confusion. Its core objectives are to leach accumulated soil salts, store moisture for spring drought mitigation, and buffer soil temperature fluctuations, rather than sustaining crop growth in winter. This distinction highlights the unique role of winter irrigation in soil improvement and pre-season preparation, which is the focus of this bibliometric analysis. This research selected 61 articles related to winter irrigation research from the Web of Science core collection database (2000–2024), and conducted bibliometric analysis of the field based on VOSviewer. This paper intuitively demonstrates the main characteristics of literature publication trends in winter irrigation research by relevant countries and research institutions. In recent years, keywords such as "soil salinity", "salt migration", and "soil moisture" have been relatively active. This indicates that the migration of water and salt in soil after winter irrigation has received more attention in recent years, which may be a current research hotspot in the field of winter irrigation. The research hotspots also include: (1) the impact of winter irrigation on crops, (2) the impact of winter irrigation on soil, (3) the impact of winter irrigation on water and salt transport. Exploring water and salt transport is currently at the forefront of winter irrigation research. In addition, this bibliometric analysis can quickly and comprehensively understand the forefront of the entire research field, which is beneficial for the continuous improvement of winter irrigation measures and strategies.