Submissions

Author Guidelines

Plant and Environment is an open-access, peer-reviewed international journal. Following the review process (which typically takes around two weeks), accepted manuscripts will be marked as "In Press" and subsequently published in the journal’s next issue. Authors are kindly requested to adhere to the following guidelines when submitting their work to the journal.

Copyright

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work is original, has not been published previously (except as an abstract, part of a published lecture, or thesis), and is not under review elsewhere. Publications in Plant and Environment are freely accessible, and users are permitted to copy, distribute, transmit, and adapt the work, provided proper credit is given to the original source.

Plagiarism Policy

Plant and Environment upholds a plagiarism policy based on the standards set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan. The journal permits a maximum of 19% similarity in submitted manuscripts. Authors are encouraged to submit a Turnitin plagiarism report when submitting their papers to ensure compliance with this policy.

Article Submission

To expedite the review process and ensure a smooth experience, authors should ensure their manuscript adheres to the journal’s formatting requirements at the time of submission and during any subsequent revisions. Submitted manuscripts must include full author names, a designated corresponding author, an abstract, and keywords. Abstracts should avoid references, abbreviations, and measurements unless essential. The abstract must succinctly introduce the field, provide background context, summarize the principal conclusions, and include 2–3 sentences positioning the key findings within the broader scientific landscape.

Authorship

The contributions of all authors must be explicitly defined. Authors should be appropriately credited following the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Each author is assumed to be responsible for the specific sections they have contributed and must have full confidence in the integrity of the entire manuscript. The journal follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines on authorship disputes.

Minimum Requirements for Authorship

Individuals listed as authors should meet the following criteria:

1. Significant contributions to the conception, design, data acquisition, or data analysis and interpretation.
2. Final approval of the manuscript version to be published.

Merely acquiring funding, collecting data, or providing general supervision of a research group does not warrant authorship.

Co-author Contributions

Authors are encouraged to include a statement outlining the specific contributions of each co-author. The journal allows up to two co-authors to be credited equally for the work described. These contributions will be published under the "Author Contributions" section. Contributors who do not meet authorship criteria should be acknowledged appropriately.

Acknowledgments

Contributors who do not meet the requirements for authorship, such as those providing technical support, writing assistance, or general administrative supervision, should be listed in the Acknowledgments section. Financial and material support must also be acknowledged. For significant group contributions, a heading like "Participating Investigators" may be used with specific roles described. All individuals mentioned must give written consent to be acknowledged in the manuscript.

Suggesting Reviewers

Authors are encouraged to assist the review process by suggesting at least three suitable reviewers, including their names and email addresses. However, the editorial team is not obligated to use these nominations. Failure to provide potential reviewers may delay the process, especially for papers addressing niche topics.

Format for Submissions to Plant and Environment

Cover Letter

Each submission must be accompanied by a cover letter, no longer than 350 words, outlining the significance of the research, the authors’ agreement for publication, the number of tables and figures, and any supplementary materials. The letter should provide a brief introduction to the submitted work.

Contact Information

Authors must provide their current phone and fax numbers, along with postal and email addresses, to maintain smooth communication throughout the submission and review process.

Article Formatting Guidelines

Manuscript Title

The title of the manuscript should be concise, not exceeding 25 words, and avoid abbreviations. It should accurately reflect the study’s content and be clear and descriptive.

Author Information

Include the full names and affiliations of all authors. Additionally, the contact details (telephone, fax, and email) of the corresponding author must be provided to ensure efficient communication.

Abstract and Keywords

The abstract should be informative, self-explanatory, and no longer than 300 words. It must briefly present the study topic, scope of experiments, significant findings, and conclusions. Avoid abbreviations. Include 3–10 keywords or abbreviations accurately reflecting the manuscript's content.

Manuscript Sections

Introduction: Contextualize the study, its significance, and objectives, offering a solution or approach to the problem addressed.

Materials and Methods: Clearly describe the study design and methodologies. Cite previously published methods and detail any new or modified procedures.

Results: Present the findings of the study in a clear, concise, and well-structured manner. Use tables and figures where appropriate, but avoid repeating the same data in multiple formats.

Discussion: Provide an in-depth interpretation of the results in the context of existing literature. Discuss their significance, limitations, and implications for future research. The Discussion section should not simply repeat the results but should critically analyze and explain them.

Conclusion: Summarize the key findings of the study in a concise manner, highlighting their significance and potential applications. The conclusion should not introduce new results but may suggest directions for future research.

Statements and Declarations

Authors must include the following sub-sections under this heading:

• Funding: Provide details of all sources of financial support, including grant numbers where applicable. If no funding was received, state “This research received no external funding.”

• Acknowledgment: Mention individuals, institutions, or organizations that contributed to the study but do not qualify for authorship.

• Conflict of Interest: Declare any potential conflicts of interest. If none exist, state “The authors declare no conflict of interest.”

• Authors’ Contribution: Clearly outline the contribution of each author (e.g., conceptualization, methodology, data collection, analysis, writing—original draft, review & editing, supervision).

• SDGs Addressed: Indicate which of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are addressed by the study.

References

References should be formatted in APA style with in-text citations. Only references cited in the text should appear in the reference list.

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures must be well-labeled, self-explanatory, and formatted to complement the text. Avoid duplicating data.

Supplementary Information

Submit supplementary materials as separate files, with each item clearly explained and distinct from the main content.

Publication Fee

Plant and Environment is an Open Access journal funded through author handling fees.

• Pakistani Authors: PKR 25,000
• International Authors: $100

Waivers may be requested before or during submission by contacting accounts@pagepal.org.

Final Proof Corrections

Galley proofs will be sent to the corresponding author for review. Authors must return corrections within 72 hours to avoid publication delays. Corrections should be sent to PE@pagepal.com.