Publication Ethics

At the Journal of Plant and Agriculture, we strongly uphold publication ethics. A peer-reviewed article, once published, is a vital component in building a coherent and trustworthy body of knowledge. It reflects the quality and integrity of the authors’ work and their affiliated institutions. The scientific method is expressed and preserved through peer-reviewed scholarly publications.

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture is committed to excellence in scholarly publishing and adheres to COPE guidelines, following COPE’s Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. We recommend that reviewers follow COPE’s Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers. For ethically responsible editing, our editors follow COPE’s Guidelines for Ethical Editing and Editing Peer Reviews. We also follow COPE’s guidance on Editorial Board Participation for the roles and responsibilities of advisory board members.

COPE Links

  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing: Link
  • Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers: Link
  • Guidelines for Ethical Editing: Link
  • Editing Peer Reviews: Link
  • Editorial Board Participation: Link

It is essential that all parties involved in the publishing process—authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher—adhere to established standards of ethical behavior.

Publication Decisions

The editor of the Journal of Plant and Agriculture is responsible for deciding which submitted articles are suitable for publication. These decisions are guided by journal policies, legal requirements regarding copyright and plagiarism, and consultation with editors or reviewers when necessary.

Fair Play

Editors evaluate manuscripts solely based on academic merit, without regard to authors' race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, ethnicity, citizenship, or political views.

Confidentiality

The editor and editorial staff of the Journal of Plant and Agriculture will not disclose information about submitted manuscripts to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, potential reviewers, editorial advisers, and the publisher.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

All authors, reviewers, editors, advisory board members, and the publisher must declare any conflicts of interest. Complaints concerning conflicts of interest are handled by the Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee in accordance with COPE guidelines. The Journal of Plant and Agriculture accepts such complaints before, during, and after publication. (COPE link)

Data Sharing & Reproducibility

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture encourages authors to share raw data where possible, follow reporting standards, register clinical trials, and uphold ethical norms in their discipline. The journal follows COPE guidance on data sharing and reproducibility (link).

Ethical Oversight

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture maintains policies on consent to publication, research involving vulnerable populations, ethical conduct of studies involving animals or humans, data confidentiality, and ethical business practices. The journal ensures that all research follows ethical standards and COPE recommendations (link).

Intellectual Property

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture maintains clear policies regarding copyright and publication licenses. Preprints may be submitted and considered after peer review. The journal does not accept plagiarized work and permits a similarity index of less than 20% (excluding results). COPE guidance on intellectual property policies is followed (link).

Post-Production Discussion & Corrections

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture welcomes scholarly dialogue, critique, and discussion of its published articles. We accept correspondence regarding corrections, revisions, and retractions when justified. COPE guidance is followed for post-publication issues (link).

Duties of Reviewers

Contribution to Editorial Decisions

Peer review assists editors in making publication decisions and helps authors improve their manuscripts.

Promptness

Reviewers who feel unqualified or unable to review a manuscript in a timely manner should inform the editor and withdraw from the review process.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts under review must be treated as confidential documents.

Standards of Objectivity

Reviews must be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of authors is inappropriate. Comments should be supported with clear arguments.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Reviewers should identify relevant, uncited literature and report any substantial similarity between the manuscript under review and other published work.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Information obtained through peer review must remain confidential and not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers must decline to review manuscripts where conflicts of interest exist.

Author Responsibilities

Corresponding Author’s Responsibilities

The corresponding author is responsible for handling communication with the Journal of Plant and Agriculture and ensuring that all co-authors approve the manuscript and its submission. After acceptance, proofs are sent to the corresponding author, who verifies the accuracy of all details.

Confidential Process

The journal treats all manuscripts and correspondence as confidential. Authors must also maintain confidentiality and refrain from sharing editorial communications without permission.

Reporting Standards

Authors must present accurate, objective accounts of research. Data should be accurately represented, and sufficient details must be provided to allow replication.

Data Access and Retention

Authors should provide raw data for editorial review when requested and retain data for a reasonable time after publication.

Originality and Plagiarism

Manuscripts must be original. If others’ work is used, it must be cited appropriately.

Multiple or Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously or publish overlapping work.

Acknowledgment of Sources

Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have significantly contributed to the study. All co-authors must approve the final manuscript.

Hazards and Human/Animal Subjects

Authors must clearly identify any hazards associated with chemicals, procedures, or equipment used in the study.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose all financial or other conflicts of interest.

Fundamental Errors in Published Works

Authors who discover errors in their published work must promptly notify the editor and cooperate in correction or retraction.

Referee Suggestions

Authors may suggest independent reviewers and request exclusions. The editorial board, however, makes all final decisions on reviewer selection.

Complaints & Appeals

The Journal of Plant and Agriculture has a defined process for handling complaints against the journal, staff, or editorial advisory board members. Complaints and appeals are reviewed by the Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee, which aims to resolve each case within four weeks, following COPE guidelines (link).

Composition of the Complaint Redressal & Appellate Committee

  • Editor-in-Chief
  • Managing Editor
  • Two relevant members of the Journal of Plant and Agriculture Editorial Advisory Board
  • One relevant member of an external journal’s editorial advisory board