Technology life cycle: Greenhouses

Abstract

This article provides an analysis of the technological life cycle (TLC) of greenhouses, an essential element of modern agriculture that has evolved from basic crop-protection structures into highly sophisticated systems integrating construction, energy, and digital innovations. These advances have positioned greenhouses as a key technology for optimizing agricultural production under controlled conditions. Despite the increasing interest in this field, literature reveals substantial conceptual and methodological gaps in understanding its evolution as a technological system. To address this, we propose an integrative approach that combines bibliometric and scientometric analyses with the theoretical S-curve model to empirically characterize the stages of introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. The methodology was structured in three phases: (i) identification of sources and definition of search strategies, (ii) analysis of patent documents to construct a cumulative invention curve, and (iii) integration of scientific production with protected innovation. The results, derived from the analysis of 103.885 scientific articles and 90.169 patent records, consolidate the evidence by revealing patterns consistent with the classical phases of the TLC. This consistency enabled the proposal of a sigmoid representation to model the evolutionary trajectory of greenhouse technology, revealing signs characteristic of an early maturity stage. This, in turn, enabled the proposal of a sigmoid representation to model the evolutionary trajectory of greenhouse technologies, situating them in an early maturity stage. The findings provide valuable tools for strategic decision-making in research, technological development, and public policy within the agro-industrial sector. Ultimately, the study concludes that TLC analysis is a critical instrument for anticipating technological scenarios and strengthening processes of transfer and innovation aimed at agricultural sustainability.