Visualization of the Stingless Bee Research in Southeast Asia Region through Bibliometric Analysis using Scopus Database from 1984 to 2022

Abstract

The increasing activity of meliponiculture which plays a role as a natural agricultural pollinator as well as the production of stingless bee honey over time has encouraged high-impact research efforts around the world. Stingless bee honey is well known as a "superfood" product and has received significant attention due to its various applications such as the treatment of various diseases both traditionally and clinically. In this context, understanding interesting topics and expanding the network of collaborations is desirable to advance research towards integrated efforts, moreover, the Southeast Asia region (SEA) is one of the major revenue contributors to the global market, especially stingless bees. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the research literature on stingless bee honey in the SEA region by conducting a bibliometric analysis of research papers in the Scopus database. A total of 543 journal articles published between 1984–2022 were obtained. The results have shown that since 2008, the average number of publications has increased by 35 articles per year, resulting in a steady increase in the number of publications accumulated until 2022. Only six countries are listed and almost 60% of total SEA publications are contributed by researchers from Malaysia, followed by Indonesia and Thailand which contribute 21% and 15%, respectively. In addition, among the top 10 most productive affiliates from every country in SEA, seven are universities in Malaysia, while Indonesia and Thailand have only one. The intellectual structure of research on stingless honey has been studied to offer a basic insight into the latest developments in this field of research, which will provide researchers and academics with broad guidelines for conducting further research in related fields.