Tropical fruits in the Mediterranean Basin: current research status, priorities, and knowledge gaps. A systematic review

Mediterranean Basin has recently emerged as a viable region for tropical fruit cultivation, as reflected by the expansion and increase of dedicated agricultural areas. However, research on these species remains scattered, limited, and not always easily accessible. In this context, evidence-based synthesis is fundamental to assess the current research status and to identify knowledge gaps. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive systematic review to highlight research trends on major tropical fruit crops (mango, avocado, papaya, guava, litchi, dragon fruit, passion fruit, and cherimoya) across countries of the Mediterranean basin. The objective is to summarise key findings and pinpoint gaps that require further investigation. A final dataset of 517 publications was obtained following a PRISMA search protocol. Information, including studied species, varieties, year, geographic location, and thematic area, was retrieved and quantitatively analysed. Subsequently, a summary was compiled for each species based on the most relevant findings. Avocado (n = 200) and mango (n = 166) were the most studied species, whereas litchi, passionfruit, and guava were the least studied. Over the past 90 years, an average of five articles were published annually, with an increase to 17 per year in the last decade. A geographical research bias was evident, with most publications originating from the European part of the Mediterranean. Spain, Italy, and Egypt accounted for the highest number of publications, while Cyprus and Algeria had the fewest. Most studies were focused on pests and pathology, whereas ecosystem services and ethnobotany were the least explored thematic areas. Although grey literature and national reports may not have been fully captured due to indexing limitations, this review serves as both a compendium and a baseline for future research on tropical fruit cultivation in the Mediterranean Basin.