Global Scientific Overview of Somaclonal Variation in Strawberry Plant: Evolution, Networks and Research Frontiers

The strawberry plant ( Fragaria x ananassa ) has great economic and social importance, being widely propagated vegetatively by stolons. However, this method can favor the spread of diseases, making tissue culture an efficient alternative for the production of seedlings of high phytosanitary quality. Micropropagation, although widely used, can induce somaclonal variation, characterized by genetic and phenotypic alterations in plants regenerated in vitro . This variation can compromise the commercial uniformity of seedlings, but also represent as a source of genetic variability for breeding programs. Despite the growing scientific interest on the subject, there are still few studies that systematically synthesize and analyze the evolution of scientific production in this area. The objective of this study was to perform a scientometric analysis of the global scientific production on somaclonal variation in Fragaria x ananassa . The analysis was carried out using the scopus and web of science databases, with the help of the RStudio software for the mapping of scientific production for the entire period between 1970 (first article found) and 2025. Publications on somaclonal variation in strawberry grew 4.08 per year, with growth from 2018 onwards. Asia concentrated the largest number of studies, with emphasis on China. Regarding international collaborations, it was observed that 4.32% of the articles were published in co-authorship between researchers from different countries. The analysis of the key terms indicated three main research axes: (i) studies based on classical concepts of genetic variability, represented by the terms evolution , selection and genetic diversity ; (ii) research focused on the relationship between micropropagation and somaclonal variation, highlighting the terms micropropagation and somaclonal variation ; and (iii) investigations directed to genetic variability in strawberry, associated with the terms Fragaria × ananassa , strawberry and genetic variation . Thus, the present study provides a structured overview of the scientific evolution on somaclonal variation in Fragaria x ananassa , identifying knowledge gaps and pointing out strategic directions for future research, contributing to advances in micropropagation techniques and genetic improvement of strawberry.