Policies

Editorial Policies

Journal of Plant Biota adheres to the standards and recommendations set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). These policies are designed to uphold the integrity and transparency of the review and publication processes. Editorial policies are periodically updated to align with new guidelines and regulations issued by the organizations above. 

Open Access

Journal of Plant Biota provides immediate open access to all published content, ensuring that it is freely available to users and institutions without charge. Users may read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, link to full-text articles, or use the content for any lawful purpose without prior permission from the publisher or author. Detailed information is available on the Open Access page.

Copyright

Authors retain the copyright of their work and agree to make it freely accessible and reusable in all formats, provided proper citation of the authors and the original source is ensured. A copyright statement is included in all published formats (HTML, PDF, and XML).

Prior to formal publication, authors must sign a License to Publish agreement, granting Journal of Plant Biota the right of first publication. Authors must confirm in the cover letter and submission checklist that the manuscript is not under review or has not been previously published elsewhere.

For any copyrighted materials (e.g., figures or tables) sourced from other publications, authors must obtain explicit permission for use. This includes republished, adapted, modified, or partial materials from other sources, including online content.

CC BY License

All articles published by Journal of Plant Biota are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, promoting open access and fostering academic exchange among researchers.

Rights Granted Under the CC BY License:

Users are free to:

  • Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.
  • Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, including commercial use.

Terms and Conditions:

  • Attribution: Users must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. Attribution must be given in a reasonable manner, without implying endorsement by the licensor.
  • No Additional Restrictions: Users may not impose legal or technological restrictions that limit others from using the material as permitted under the license.

By signing the License to Publish agreement, authors grant Journal of Plant Biota the right to publish their articles and any supplementary materials under the CC BY license, ensuring maximum dissemination and reuse of the work.

Peer Review Model

The Journal of Plant Biota employs a single-blind peer review model, where reviewers’ identities are kept confidential from authors, but authors’ identities are disclosed to reviewers. All accepted articles (excluding specific Editorials released by the Editors) undergo a rigorous review process to ensure novelty, academic integrity, and scientific soundness.

Peer Review Model

The Journal of Plant Biota employs a single-blind peer review process, in which the reviewers’ identities remain confidential to the authors, while the authors’ identities are disclosed to the reviewers. All accepted articles (excluding certain Editorials released by the Editors) undergo a rigorous review process to ensure they meet the highest standards of novelty, scientific quality, and academic integrity.

Peer Review Process

  1. Initial Check:

    • Conducted by the Managing Editor and Academic Editor:
      • The Managing Editor checks for plagiarism and ensures that the manuscript aligns with the journal’s scope and formatting guidelines.
      • Manuscripts that pass this check are forwarded to the Academic Editor after conflicts of interest are disclosed.
    • Role of the Academic Editor:
      • The Academic Editor (usually the Editor-in-Chief or a delegated Editorial Board member or Guest Editor) evaluates the manuscript for quality and relevance.
      • If deemed unsuitable, the manuscript is rejected without further review.
      • Manuscripts meeting the initial quality criteria are sent for full peer review.

  2. Full Peer Review:

    • Reviewer Selection:
      • Peer reviewers are selected based on their expertise and experience in the manuscript’s subject matter.
      • Reviewers evaluate the manuscript’s originality, significance, scientific integrity, and presentation.
    • Timeline and Review Report:
      • Reviewers are required to provide detailed, constructive feedback within 14 days of accepting the invitation to review.
      • Each manuscript typically requires two independent review reports that include specific comments and an overall recommendation (“Acceptance,” “Minor Revision,” “Major Revision,” or “Rejection”).
    • Additional Reports:
      • If the initial reviews provide conflicting recommendations or the Academic Editor requires more input, additional reports may be solicited.

  3. Special Handling for Editorial Board and Guest Editors’ Submissions:

    • Manuscripts submitted by Editorial Board members or Guest Editors are handled independently by other editors to avoid conflicts of interest. The submitting editor is not involved in the review or decision-making process.

  4. Final Decision:

    • The Academic Editor reviews the peer review reports and makes the final decision on publication.

Guidelines for Peer Reviewers

  • Reviewer Selection Criteria:
    Suitable reviewers are chosen based on the following:

    • Independence from the authors and their institutions.
    • Expertise in the same or related research fields as the manuscript.
    • Recent publications in the same research area.
    • Ability to complete the review within the required timeframe.

  • Authors Suggesting Reviewers:
    Authors may recommend reviewers, especially for works requiring specialized expertise. However, the journal retains full discretion over reviewer selection. Suggested reviewers must:

    • Have recent publications in the area of the manuscript.
    • Not have recent publications, collaborations, or shared institutional affiliations with the authors.
    • Not have a close personal connection or financial interest with the authors or the submitted work.

Notes for Peer Reviewers

  • Declare any potential conflicts of interest before starting the review. Withdraw from the review if necessary.
  • Respect confidentiality and do not disclose manuscript details or contact authors without journal permission.
  • Destroy all copies of the manuscript after completing the review.
  • Provide objective, unbiased evaluations regardless of authors’ nationality, beliefs, or affiliations.
  • Report any suspected misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication, ethical breaches) to the editorial office.
  • Avoid requesting citations to their own work unless justified by strong academic reasoning.
  • Submit reviews promptly or request an extension if needed.

The Journal of Plant Biota values the integrity and thoroughness of the peer review process to ensure high-quality scholarly output.

The Managing Editor plays a crucial role in the peer review process. This individual is responsible for conducting the first stage of manuscript evaluation, which includes verifying the manuscript’s alignment with the journal’s scope, ensuring format integrity, and performing plagiarism checks using iThenticate. Additionally, the Managing Editor identifies and invites suitable reviewers to assess the manuscript and facilitates communication among authors, reviewers, and the Academic Editor throughout the review process.

The Academic Editor oversees the entire peer review process and ensures the academic integrity and quality of the published content. This role involves evaluating whether a manuscript meets the standards for peer review and assessing its academic value and scientific rigor. Based on the reviewers’ reports, the Academic Editor makes the final decision to accept, request revisions, or reject a manuscript. Typically, the Academic Editor is the Editor-in-Chief; however, the Editor-in-Chief may delegate this responsibility to another Editorial Board member, Guest Editor, or expert in the relevant field for specific manuscripts.

To acknowledge their contributions, the name of the Academic Editor responsible for a manuscript will be published alongside the paper once it is accepted and published. For more information on the peer review process, authors and reviewers are encouraged to refer to the Peer Review Guidelines of individual journals.

Authorship Criteria
The Journal of Plant Biota follows the authorship guidelines set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). To qualify as an author, individuals must make significant contributions to the conception or design of the work, acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data. Additionally, they must participate in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content. Authors are also required to provide final approval of the manuscript before publication and agree to take responsibility for all aspects of the work, ensuring its accuracy and integrity.

Corresponding Author
For manuscripts with multiple authors, one individual must be designated as the corresponding author. This person manages communication with the journal and coordinates among coauthors during the submission, peer review, and production stages. They are responsible for providing required documentation, such as authorship details, ethics approvals, clinical trial registration, and conflicts of interest statements. After publication, the corresponding author must remain available to address critiques, answer questions, and provide additional information or data as needed.

Dual Authorship
The Journal of Plant Biota permits dual first or last authorship when two authors contribute equally to a work. Any other equal contributions should be detailed in the Author Contributions section of the manuscript.

Group Authorship
For work conducted by large multi-author groups, the group should collectively decide who will be listed as authors. All named authors must meet the ICMJE authorship criteria and be prepared to take public responsibility for the work. Some groups may list authorship under a group name, with or without naming individual contributors. In such cases, the corresponding author must specify the group name and identify individual members responsible for the work.

Authorship Disputes
Determining authorship eligibility and order should ideally occur during the planning stage and be adjusted as the work progresses. It is the authors’ collective responsibility to ensure compliance with authorship criteria. Journal editors are not responsible for resolving authorship disputes. If conflicts arise, they should be addressed by the institution(s) where the work was conducted. Editors may refer to COPE flowcharts and related resources to manage such disputes. Institutions may need to mediate disputes if authors cannot reach an agreement.

Authorship Changes
Authorship modifications are only permitted before a manuscript is officially accepted. Changes, such as adding or removing authors, require a signed statement from all listed authors and the author being added or removed, providing justification for the change. This statement must be submitted to the editorial office for consideration.

Author Contributions
To ensure proper credit and accountability, authors must include an Author Contributions statement in the Declarations section of their manuscript. The Journal of Plant Biota uses the CRediT Taxonomy to describe each author’s specific contributions, ensuring clarity and transparency in authorship roles.

ORCID
The Journal of Plant Biota encourages authors to provide an ORCID (Open Researcher Contributor ID). ORCID offers a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes individuals from others with similar names and connects them to their research outputs. Providing an ORCID ensures transparency and enhances the discoverability of an author’s work.

Acknowledgments
Individuals who have contributed to the research paper but do not meet the authorship criteria should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section. This section should include a brief description of their contributions. In cases where minors have been involved in the research (e.g., children using technology), they should typically be acknowledged, as they cannot be fully accountable for all aspects of the research.

AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Scientific Writing
The Journal of Plant Biota does not permit listing AI or AI-assisted technologies as authors or co-authors, nor should AI be cited as an author. AI technologies cannot replace the core responsibilities of researchers, such as generating scientific insights, analyzing and interpreting data, or forming scientific conclusions. Authors may use AI tools to improve the readability and language of their manuscripts, but the ultimate responsibility for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of the article lies with the authors.

Authors must disclose any use of AI or AI-assisted technology in the writing process in the Declarations section of their manuscript. The disclosure should follow the format below:
AI-Assisted Work Statement: During the preparation of this work, author(s) used [name tool/service] for [reason]. After using the tool/service, author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

This statement is not required for the use of basic tools for grammar, spelling, or reference checking. If no AI technologies were used, there is no need to include a statement.

Violations of this policy will be treated as scientific misconduct. The Journal of Plant Biota addresses such cases individually, following guidance from COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), WAME (World Association of Medical Editors), and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).

Conflicts of Interest

Conflicts of interest in publishing refer to situations where an individual’s competing interests could potentially bias editorial decisions. These conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived and can arise from personal, political, financial, academic, or religious considerations, which may affect objectivity. The Journal of Plant Biota requires all authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose any potential or existing conflicts of interest during the submission or review process to ensure a transparent and objective review system. The journal adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines, including their flowcharts, to manage and investigate any suspected undisclosed conflicts of interest.

Definition of Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when professional judgment concerning a primary interest (e.g., research validity or patient welfare) may be influenced by a secondary interest (e.g., financial gain). Financial relationships, such as employment, consultancies, stock ownership, honoraria, patents, and paid expert testimony, are among the most recognizable and influential conflicts.

Other sources of conflicts include personal relationships, rivalries, academic competition, or intellectual beliefs, which can also impair objectivity.

For Authors

All authors submitting to the Journal of Plant Biota must include a statement disclosing any potential or existing conflicts of interest relevant to the submitted work. If there are no conflicts, authors should declare: “The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.” The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all coauthors are aware of this disclosure requirement.

For Reviewers

Reviewers evaluating a manuscript must disclose any associations that could pose a conflict of interest. If a conflict impedes impartial judgment, reviewers should recuse themselves from the review process. If a reviewer believes a conflict does not hinder their ability to evaluate the manuscript, they must still disclose it to the editorial office, which will take the disclosure into account when making decisions.

For Editors, Board Members, Guest Editors, and Editorial Staff

Editors, board members, guest editors, and other editorial staff must disclose any conflicts of interest associated with a manuscript they are handling, following the journal’s Conflicts of Interest Checklist. If a conflict might impair their ability to make unbiased editorial decisions, they must disclose it to the editorial office or withdraw from the process. Such cases may require assigning another editor, deputizing decisions, or recommending authors submit to a different journal.

Manuscripts submitted by editorial board members or guest editors are handled independently by other editors to ensure impartiality, and the submitting editor is excluded from the decision-making and review process.

Funding

All sources of funding must be clearly declared under the “Funding” section at the end of the manuscript. Authors should name the supporting organizations and include associated grant numbers in square brackets. Additionally, authors must describe the role of the sponsor(s) in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, report writing, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

 Research Ethics

Human Subject Research

★ Ethical Approval
For any study involving human subjects or samples, authors must include an Ethical Approval statement in the Declarations section of their manuscript. This statement should confirm that the study has been approved by an institutional ethics committee and adheres to the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. The study must be conducted in compliance with the approved protocol and relevant research standards.

★ Consent to Participate
For studies involving human subjects, written informed consent must be obtained from all participants. Authors should provide a statement confirming that written consent has been obtained, stored securely, and can be made available upon request.

★ Consent to Publication
For studies involving privacy concerns, such as the inclusion of personal details in images or videos, authors must secure and provide a statement of consent to publication from the participants. This statement should confirm that the participants have granted written permission for their data to be published, and such consent can be made available if needed.

Animal Research

Studies involving animal subjects must be approved by an animal care and use committee and conducted in accordance with the approved protocol and recognized ethical standards for animal experimentation. Authors should provide a statement at the end of their manuscript indicating that the study was approved by the relevant animal care and use committee.

Registration of Clinical Trials

Definition of Clinical Trials
The Journal of Plant Biota follows the clinical trial definition as outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). A clinical trial is defined as any research project that prospectively assigns individuals or groups of individuals to an intervention, with or without concurrent comparison or control groups, to examine the relationship between a health-related intervention and a health outcome. Health-related interventions aim to modify a biomedical or health-related outcome, which may include drugs, surgical procedures, devices, behavioral treatments, educational programs, dietary interventions, quality improvement interventions, and process-of-care changes. Health outcomes refer to any biomedical or health-related measures obtained from patients or participants, including pharmacokinetic measures and adverse events.

Requirements for Clinical Trials
★ The Journal of Plant Biota requires the registration of all clinical trials.
★ Clinical trials must be registered in a publicly accessible trials registry at or before the time of the first patient enrollment.
★ The journal accepts registration in any registry that is a primary register of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) or in ClinicalTrials.gov.
★ The trial registration number should be provided at the end of the Abstract section of the manuscript.
★ Secondary data analyses of primary (parent) clinical trials should not be registered separately. Instead, they should reference the trial registration number of the primary trial.

For clarification on trial registration requirements, authors may refer to the ICMJE FAQs.

Confidentiality

Editors, authors, and reviewers are required to maintain confidentiality regarding all aspects of the editorial and peer review process for submitted manuscripts. All correspondence involved in the review process must also be treated confidentially by all parties, including authors.

Reviewers must keep the content of the manuscript confidential and are required to destroy all copies at the end of the review process. Additionally, unpublished information within the manuscript cannot be used for personal gain. If reviewers wish to seek external assistance in reviewing a manuscript, they must first inform the editorial office.

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of their identities, as the Journal of Plant Biota follows a single-blind peer review process. Reviewers are prohibited from disclosing their identities to authors or contacting authors without prior consent from the editorial office.

Whether or not a manuscript is eventually published, correspondence with the journal, review reports, and other confidential materials must not be disclosed or publicized without prior written consent.

In the event a manuscript is rejected for publication, all copies of the manuscript should be deleted from the editorial system. If the editorial office needs to retain a rejected manuscript, the author’s permission must be obtained.

The Journal of Plant Biota will not share manuscript details and author information with third parties prior to formal publication, except in cases involving suspected misconduct. If confidentiality must be broken due to allegations of dishonesty or fraud, the editorial office will notify the authors and reviewers in advance.

Once a manuscript is published, the journal will retain copies of the original submission, reviews, revisions, and correspondence for at least three years, or in perpetuity depending on local regulations, to address any future inquiries regarding the work.

Availability of Data and Materials

To promote reuse and enhance reproducibility, the Journal of Plant Biota strongly encourages that all materials used in the research and data generated by the research be made available to other researchers upon publication, wherever legally and ethically possible.

Authors may be asked to specify the location of the raw data underlying the conclusions presented in the manuscript, and whether this data will be accessible to other researchers. Authors may also be required to provide details of any existing datasets analyzed during the study either during the peer review process or before the manuscript is accepted.

Examples of Appropriate Public Repositories

Availability of Data and Materials Statement

Authors are required to include an Availability of Data and Materials statement at the end of their manuscript. Below are examples:

★ Datasets are in a publicly accessible repository:
The datasets [GENERATED/ANALYZED] for this study can be found in the [NAME OF REPOSITORY] [LINK].

★ Datasets are available on request:
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher.

★ All relevant data is contained within the manuscript:
All datasets [GENERATED/ANALYZED] for this study are included in the manuscript and the supplementary files.

★ The datasets are restricted:
The datasets for this manuscript are not publicly available because: [VALID REASON]. Requests for accessing the datasets should be directed to [NAME, EMAIL].

★ Data has been obtained from a third party:
The data analyzed in this study was obtained from [SOURCE]. Requests for access to these datasets should be directed to [NAME, EMAIL].

★ No datasets were generated for this study:
Not applicable.

Citation

Authors must cite relevant literature to support any statement in their manuscript that relies on external sources of information. The following guidelines should be followed when preparing citations:

★ Authors should cite the original work rather than citing a review article that has referenced the original work.
★ Authors should ensure that their citations are accurate and relevant, ensuring the cited work supports the statement made in the manuscript. Authors should not misrepresent a work by citing it if it does not support the intended point.
★ Authors should avoid citing works from only one country or region, ensuring diversity in their sources.
★ Authors should not include an excessive number of citations to support a single point or statement.

Citation Manipulation

Citation manipulation refers to the practice of including references that do not contribute substantively to the scholarly content of the article but are included solely to increase citation counts. This includes the following behaviors, as defined by COPE:

★ Excessive self-citation: Authors excessively citing their own work solely to increase the number of citations to their own research.
★ Excessive citation of the journal: Authors excessively citing articles from the journal in which they are publishing, solely to increase the journal’s citation count.
★ Excessive citation of other authors or journals: Authors excessively citing the work of specific authors or journals (sometimes referred to as “honorary citations” or “citation stacking”), often to boost the citation count of particular authors or journals.

Citation manipulation will result in the rejection of the manuscript. The Journal of Plant Biota reserves the right to report such cases to the authors’ institutions. Similarly, any attempts by peer reviewers or editors to encourage such practices should be reported by authors to the publisher. Editors found to engage in citation manipulation will be subject to investigation and may be removed from their positions if the practices are confirmed.

The Journal of Plant Biota recognizes that self-citation may be legitimate in certain contexts, as outlined in the COPE discussion document on Citation Manipulation.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is strictly prohibited in the Journal of Plant Biota and includes, but is not limited to, the copying or reuse of text, ideas, images, or data from other sources without proper attribution. This also extends to the reuse of text from an author’s previous work without clear citation, which is considered self-plagiarism. When reusing text, it is essential to cite all sources at the point of use, and the reuse of wording must be limited and clearly attributed or quoted in the manuscript.

The Journal of Plant Biota is a member of CrossCheck and uses iThenticate to screen submitted content for originality before publication. iThenticate compares submissions against millions of published research papers and billions of web pages. Any issues detected through the software will be addressed through a follow-up investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines. If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript may be rejected, corrected, or retracted as deemed appropriate. In some cases, we may inform the authors’ institutions of the situation.

We expect editors and peer reviewers to report any concerns related to plagiarism at any stage of the peer review, publication, or post-publication process. We also encourage readers to report suspected plagiarism after publication. COPE provides flowcharts to guide the handling of potential plagiarism cases in both submitted manuscripts and published articles.

Duplicate Publication

The Journal of Plant Biota only considers original content for publication, meaning that manuscripts must not have been previously published or submitted for publication, including in any language other than English. If related materials are under consideration or in press elsewhere, authors must disclose this in their cover letter.

If authors use their own previously published work or work currently under review as the basis for a submitted manuscript, they must cite these previous works and clarify how the new manuscript differs from the earlier one. The decision to publish or not publish such materials is at the discretion of the Editor. Reuse of authors’ own figures or substantial portions of text may require permission from the copyright holder, and it is the authors’ responsibility to obtain such permission.

The Journal of Plant Biota may consider the following exceptions if clearly justified upon submission:

  • Preprint servers
    Posting a manuscript on a preprint server or on an author’s personal or institutional website does not count as prior publication. Please refer to our Preprint Policy for more information.

  • Theses
    PhD or other academic theses, including those publicly available as required by the awarding institution, are not considered prior publication.

  • Conference Abstracts/Posters
    The publication of abstracts or posters from meetings prior to the full paper being submitted is permitted. Such abstracts must be cited in the manuscript submission and mentioned in the cover letter.

  • Datasets
    Making scientific datasets publicly available before submitting the associated manuscript does not prevent submission to Journal of Plant Biota. Research funding agencies often require data sharing, which is encouraged by our journal.

  • Summary of clinical trial results in public registries
    Posting summary clinical trial results in publicly accessible registries does not count as duplicate publication. Authors reporting clinical trials must ensure their trial is registered in a suitable public registry (refer to our Registration of Clinical Trials section for more details).

  • Translations
    The journal may publish materials that have been accurately translated from an original publication in another language, at the discretion of the Editor. Such translations must be clearly identified as such, with proper permission from the original publisher, and must be published under a CC BY license. The original source must be credited.

If a manuscript is later found to be a duplicate, the editor should follow the COPE flowcharts and work with the publisher to retract the duplicate paper.

Misconduct

The Journal of Plant Biota addresses scientific misconduct on a case-by-case basis following the guidelines provided by COPE, WAME, and ICMJE.

Misconduct Definition

The Journal of Plant Biota adheres to the summary of misconduct provided by WAME, which includes the following:

  • Falsification of Data: This ranges from fabricating data to selectively reporting findings and omitting conflicting data, or the intentional suppression and/or distortion of results.

  • Plagiarism: The act of appropriating the language, ideas, or thoughts of others without proper attribution and presenting them as one’s own original work.

  • Improprieties of Authorship: Improper assignment of authorship, such as excluding those who made contributions, misrepresenting material as original across multiple publications, or including individuals as authors who have not significantly contributed to the work. This also includes submitting multi-authored papers without the consent of all authors.

  • Misappropriation of Ideas: Scholars may acquire ideas from others during manuscript or grant reviews, but the improper use of such information can constitute misconduct. Taking such material without proper acknowledgment is considered fraud.

  • Violation of Research Practices: Serious deviations from accepted research practices, such as manipulating experiments to obtain biased results, making deceptive statistical manipulations, or improper reporting of results.

  • Failure to Comply with Legislation: This includes significant, willful violations of local laws and regulations affecting research, such as misuse of funds, failure in the care of animals or human subjects, and improper handling of investigational drugs or hazardous materials.

  • Inappropriate Behavior Related to Misconduct: This includes false accusations of misconduct, failure to report known or suspected misconduct, withholding or destroying evidence, and retaliating against those involved in misconduct investigations.

Additionally, the following practices are considered misconduct:

  • Duplicate Publication: The simultaneous submission of the same or substantially similar work to multiple journals. For cases where secondary publication is deemed acceptable, please refer to our policy on Duplicate Publication.

  • Lack of Declaration: Failure to declare conflicts of interest, funding sources, or any other transparency issues related to the research.

Dealing with Allegations of Misconduct

To detect plagiarism, Journal of Plant Biota utilizes iThenticate, ensuring the originality of all submitted content. We encourage reviewers to report any suspected misconduct regarding the manuscripts they review. We also invite readers to notify us about any concerns regarding misconduct related to published content. All allegations are addressed seriously and are investigated according to COPE’s flowchart.

Crossmark, Corrections, and Retractions

The Journal of Plant Biota may consider correcting or retracting articles in rare cases, and we also encourage Post-Publication Discussion. These practices will follow the guidelines set by COPE and ICMJE.

Crossmark

Journal of Plant Biota participates in the Crossmark service, a multi-publisher initiative by Crossref to provide a standardized way for readers to locate the current version of a document. By applying the Crossmark logo, Journal of Plant Biota commits to maintaining the content it publishes and alerting readers to any changes that occur.

Clicking the Crossmark logo will show the current status of the document and provide additional publication record information.

Corrections

As per ICMJE Recommendations, errors are a part of science and publishing, and when honest errors are detected, we are responsible for issuing a correction. Corrections will follow these guidelines:

  • Corrections will be published as soon as possible once errors are confirmed.
  • Corrections will detail the changes made and will link to the original article.
  • The original article will remain in the public domain, with a correction notice and link displayed alongside it to alert readers of the update.

Corrections will be published based on the article’s stage of publication:

  • For articles published in an early view or equivalent service, corrections may be made directly to the article online, with an audit trail noting the changes and the date they were made.
  • For articles published in an issue, a correction statement will be published and linked to the original article, without modifying the original publication directly.

Retractions

In rare cases, published articles may be retracted. The purpose of retraction is not to punish authors, but to correct the literature and alert readers to articles that may contain serious errors or unreliable conclusions. Please note that retracted articles will not be deleted from the public domain. Each retraction will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

According to COPE guidelines, articles may be retracted for the following reasons:

  • Evidence that the findings are unreliable due to major errors (e.g., miscalculation or experimental flaws), fabrication (e.g., falsified data), or falsification (e.g., image manipulation).
  • Plagiarism.
  • Redundant publication without proper attribution or permission to republish.
  • Inclusion of material or data without necessary authorization.
  • Copyright infringement or serious legal issues (e.g., libel, privacy violations).
  • Reporting of unethical research.
  • Publication based on a compromised or manipulated peer review process.
  • Failure to disclose a major competing interest or conflict of interest that may have influenced the interpretation of the work.

Retractions will follow these guidelines:

  • Retractions will be linked to the original article in all electronic versions.
  • Retraction titles will clearly state that it is a retraction.
  • Retractions will include the title of the retracted article, the reason for retraction, and details of who is retracting the article.
  • Retractions will be published promptly to minimize potential harm.

    Communication Prior to Publication

    We believe it is essential that the peer-reviewed and published version of a paper be made available when the work is discussed in public media. This allows the press to provide informed commentary based on the finalized version. Authors may respond to media requests based on preprints or conference presentations by providing explanations, clarifications, or additional context about their work. In such cases, media coverage will not interfere with the editorial process. Authors should clearly communicate if the paper has not yet undergone peer review, emphasizing that the findings are provisional and conclusions may change.

    Post-Publication Discussion

    We encourage readers, authors, and organizations to contact the editorial office regarding any errors or ethical concerns in published articles. The editorial team, in collaboration with Academic Editors, the Editorial Board, or Reviewers, will carefully investigate the issue. If necessary, a Correction or Retraction may be issued. Readers are also invited to submit critiques, or write Commentaries or Letters to the Editor, to reflect on and discuss the published work. These submissions will be reviewed accordingly.

    Preprint Policy

    Journal of Plant Biota allows authors to post preprints of the Original Version, Accepted Manuscript, or Version of Record on preprint servers, authors’ or institutional websites, and open communication platforms between researchers. Authors who post their work as a preprint should identify the preprint server and include the accession number or DOI during submission.

    Once accepted, the article will be published online as soon as possible to ensure immediate access. After publication, authors are required to update the preprint record with a reference to the journal (including DOI) and a link to the final published article.

    Readers may visit Sherpa Romeo for further details on our Preprint Policy.

    Archive

    To ensure long-term digital preservation, all published articles will be archived on the Portico platform. Authors are also encouraged to deposit their articles in PubMed Central/Europe PMC and other suitable archives. It is the responsibility of the authors to ensure that any institutional or funding requirements for archiving are met.

    Appeals and Complaints

    Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions or review reports during the editorial process. To submit an appeal, authors should contact the editorial office of the specific journal. Editors should allow appeals to override earlier decisions if they involve appropriate reconsideration of the editorial process and decision-making, such as providing additional factual input, revisions, or extra material in the manuscript, or appeals concerning conflicts of interest and potential bias in peer review. Editors will mediate all communications between authors and peer reviewers during the peer review process. Additional peer reviewers may be consulted to assist the editor in making the final decision. The editor’s decision following an appeal is final. Author protest alone will not influence editorial decisions.

    Complaints about the editorial process or publication ethics should be directed to the editorial office of the journal, where they will be handled by the responsible editor. If the editor is involved in the complaint, authors may contact the publisher at editor@researchfloor.org. For complaints related to publication ethics, the editor will follow guidelines published by COPE.

    Advertising Policy

    The mission of Journal of Plant Biota is to support scientific and technological progress by disseminating high-quality content quickly, widely, and freely. Journal of Plant Biota provides immediate open access to all published content, ensuring that articles are accessible to readers worldwide. To attract high-quality submissions and reduce the financial burden on researchers.

    Journal of Plant Biota currently accepts online display advertisements. Decisions regarding advertisements will be based on the following principles:

    • All advertisements will be clearly identified as such, and there will be a clear distinction between editorial content and advertising.
    • Editorial decisions and publishing policies will not be influenced by advertising clients or sponsors, nor by any financial or commercial interests.
    • Advertisements must not be deceptive or misleading. Advertising products must be legal and comply with applicable national and international laws. Products or services that pose significant health risks will not be advertised.
    • Journal of Plant Biota will not allow any treatment-specific or drug-specific advertisements to be targeted at specific articles or pages where related content appears.
    • The Editor(s)-in-Chief of Journal of Plant Biota have full and final authority in approving advertisements.
    • Journal of Plant Biota reserves the right to reject any advertisement that may harm its value or reputation or to remove any advertisement at the request of the Editor(s)-in-Chief or the publisher.
    • Journal of Plant Biota is not responsible for errors in advertisements after proof approval.
    • Complaints about advertisements will be reviewed and may be displayed on the advertisement page.