Best Plant Science and Agronomy Universities in Spain 2026

The institutional positions in the ranking are determined by aggregating the D-indexes (Discipline H-index) of all affiliated scholars whose primary research outputs are in Plant Science and Agronomy. Notably, the D-index is discipline-specific, encompassing only those publications and citations that pertain to Plant Science and Agronomy, ensuring a precise measurement of scholarly impact within the field.

Scope of Research and Scientist Inclusion Criteria

The scope of this ranking is based on an extensive examination of 279,971 scientist profiles identified across a range of reputable bibliometric sources, with rigorous analysis focused on 14,876 scientists operating specifically in the domain of Plant Science and Agronomy.

• The threshold for scientists' inclusion required a D-index of at least 30, alongside evidence that the majority of their high-tier publications fall within Plant Science and Agronomy.
• Researcher achievements and awards in the field further contributed to their evaluation.
• The D-index threshold for top scholars is adaptively set in increments of 10, calibrated according to the estimated number of scholars in each discipline to ensure the top 1% of leading researchers are included in the ranking.
• To maintain the discipline specificity, a proximity constraint ensures that there is a 30% or less difference between a researcher's general H-index and their discipline-specific D-index.
• Recognition of awards and notable field-specific achievements served as supplementary factors in the final evaluation process.

Verification and Data Validation Processes

Recognizing that bibliometric data should not be the sole criterion for academic evaluation, Research.com employs a rigorous manual verification process for all scientist profiles included in the ranking. Each profile was cross-referenced against publications from a broad spectrum of trustworthy sources to ensure data integrity and minimize discrepancies.

While the number of papers in prominent journals and proceedings does not directly affect a scholar’s ranking, it is acknowledged as a valuable secondary indicator of research contribution within the field.

Final institutional positions are established based on each researcher’s H-index, as retrieved from OpenAlex and CrossRef, the preeminent bibliometric databases available to the research community. For an in-depth understanding of our methodology, please consult our methodology page.

Research.com Mission and Motivation

Research.com’s mission centers on inspiring collaboration, insight, and informed strategic decision-making among scientists, business leaders, and policymakers worldwide. By publishing authoritative rankings, we aim to illuminate the trajectories of top experts in specific disciplines, spanning countries and institutions, and provide the global research community with transparent, data-driven insights into leading expertise in Plant Science and Agronomy.

Key Highlights from the 4th Edition Ranking

• Top 3 Spanish Institutions by Number of Leading Scientists:
  • Universitat Politècnica de València (11 scientists)
  • University of Córdoba (11 scientists)
  • Miguel Hernandez University (10 scientists)
• Leading Global Institutions Represented by Top Scholars: The Ohio State University, Utrecht University, China Agricultural University, Curtin University, University of Birmingham, Australian National University, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Nanjing Agricultural University, Murdoch University, University of Dundee.
• Top Individual Scientists in the World:
  • Professor Rattan Lal (The Ohio State University) – D-index: 188 (Rank #1 worldwide)
  • Mark Stitt (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology) – D-index: 161 (Rank #2 worldwide)
  • Pedro W. Crous (Utrecht University) – D-index: 157 (Rank #3 worldwide)
• Quantitative Insights:
  • Average total D-index for the top 5% of universities: 1,325, compared to an average of 202 across all 699 ranked institutions.
  • Average number of published articles in Plant Science and Agronomy among top 5% university-affiliated scientists: 4,638, versus an average of 727 for all 699 institutions.
  • Average number of citations for researchers at top 1% universities: 279,971, compared to an average of 46,531 for all included institutions.

These detailed rankings provide the research community and academic institutions with a credible, objective, and meticulously constructed resource to gauge excellence and influence in Plant Science and Agronomy, both within Spain and globally.