Integrating Economic Viability and Environmental Sustainability in Agricultural Pest Management: A Bibliometric and Systematic Review

Abstract

Background Agricultural sustainability faces multiple challenges, including increasing pest pressure, increasing production costs, and the environmental impacts of intensive pesticide use. Although pest management is essential to protect crop yields, the integration of economic and environmental sustainability remains insufficiently characterized. This study examined global research trends and emerging themes in sustainable agricultural pest management. Methods Scopus-indexed publications published between 2015 and 2025 were analyzed using bibliometric methods combined with a systematic review. VOSviewer was used to identify thematic patterns and keyword co-occurrence networks related to pest management, biological control, environmental sustainability and economic considerations. Results Research on sustainable pest management has steadily increased from 2015 to 2025. Thematic mapping has identified three major research streams: conventional and integrated pest management, biological and environmentally oriented strategies, and broader economic and environmental sustainability considerations. The first emphasizes technical pest control approaches, while the second focuses on ecological balance and reduced reliance on chemical inputs. The third category addresses the cost-effectiveness, environmental impacts, and long-term resilience of agricultural systems. Overall, the findings indicate a gradual shift from predominantly technical approaches towards integrated sustainability-oriented pest management frameworks. Conclusions Sustainable pest management research is increasingly oriented toward balancing technical effectiveness with ecological and economic considerations. Future research should adopt interdisciplinary and context-specific approaches, with greater emphasis on economic evaluation, environmental impact assessment, and field-level validation, to support environmentally responsible and economically viable pest management systems.