Publication Ethics

Folium Journal of Agricultural Sciences is a publication platform for a wide range of plant science topics, including agronomy, horticulture, plant breeding, plant soil science, postharvest, and plant pest and disease science. Manuscripts containing experimental or research results related to agriculture technology  will be accepted for review as journal articles.

This statement outlines the ethical principles that all parties involved in the process of publishing articles in this journal must adhere to, including authors, editors, reviewers and publishers. These guidelines refer to the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors.

AUTHOR'S DUTY 

Reporting Standards : Authors must report their study findings accurately and provide an objective assessment of their significance. Research findings should be reported honestly, without fabrication, falsification, or inappropriate data modification. Manuscripts must provide enough detail and references to allow for replication by other researchers. Any submission of deceptive or erroneous information is considered an ethical violation and is unacceptable. Additionally, authors must follow the journal's terms and conditions.

Originality and Plagiarism: It is the author's responsibility to make sure the work they submit is original and hasn't been published before. Without the editor's approval, manuscripts shouldn't be sent concurrently to multiple journals. It is necessary to appropriately acknowledge and cite any previously published work, whether it was written by the authors or by other scholars. A direct quote from another study needs to be enclosed in quote marks and include the relevant citations.

Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Publication: The same manuscript should not be submitted by authors to multiple journals at the same time. They should also avoid submitting similar material or describing the same research in many journals. If a research effort produces more than one publication, each should be clearly marked and include a reference to the primary article. 

Source Acknowledgment: Authors must acknowledge every data source used in the research and include references to publications that have influenced the research. Any work of others used should be properly credited through proper citation. 

Article authorship: The names of authors in research publications should reflect the actual contribution to the research and its preparation. Only individuals who contributed significantly to the planning, design, conduct or analysis of the research should be listed as authors. Those who made limited contributions, such as technical support, may be included in the acknowledgements section. Authors should also ensure that all co-authors have read, approved, and agreed to be included in the authorship list of the submitted manuscript. 

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest: Authors must clearly disclose any conflicts of interest, financial or substantive, that may affect the results or interpretation of the research. In addition, any sources of funding that support the research should be mentioned in the manuscript. 

Errors in Published Work: If authors discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their publication, they are obliged to contact the journal editor or publisher immediately to correct or retract the publication. 

Safety and Ethics in Research: If the research involves chemicals, procedures, or equipment that could potentially harm humans or animals, the authors should clearly identify them in the manuscript.

EDITOR'S DUTIES 

Publication Decision: The editor holds the primary responsibility for deciding whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected, or requires revisions, based on the evaluation conducted by the editorial board. This decision must consider the scholarly validity and relevance of the work to researchers and readers, while ensuring compliance with the journal’s policies and relevant legal standards, such as those pertaining to defamation, copyright, and plagiarism. When necessary, editors may seek input from co-editors or additional reviewers to inform their final judgment. Furthermore, editors are tasked with upholding the quality and integrity of published content by implementing rigorous editorial procedures and policies.

Manuscript Review: Editors are responsible for performing an initial assessment of the manuscript to verify its originality. The peer review process must be carried out impartially and professionally, with clear transparency in the review procedures outlined in the author guidelines and the journal section dedicated to this process. The selection of peer reviewers should prioritize individuals with relevant expertise while ensuring the avoidance of any potential conflicts of interest.

Fair Play: Manuscript evaluation should be based on intellectual quality without considering personal factors such as gender, race, religion, or nationality of the author. Editors have a responsibility to uphold editorial independence and integrity to ensure impartial publication decisions. 

Confidentiality : Information related to the submitted manuscript must be kept confidential. The editor should  identify potential breaches of data protection and confidentiality of research subjects, including obtaining necessary consent for relevnt publication . 

Disclosures and Conflicts of Interest : Editors are not allowed to use information in unpublished manuscripts for personal gain without written consent from the authors. In addition, editors should avoid involvement in publication decisions if there is a potential conflict of interest.

DUTIES OF THE REVIEWER 

Confidentiality : Reviewers are obliged to maintain the confidentiality of the information contained in the manuscript and must not share it with other parties without permission from the editor. 

Acknowledgment of Sources : Reviewers should ensure that all sources used in the research are properly cited. If there are missed references or discrepancies in citations, they should be brought to the attention of the editor. If there is any indication of ethical violations, such as plagiarism or duplication of publications, the reviewer should immediately report to the journal. 

Objectivity Standard: Manuscript evaluation should be done objectively by providing clear and constructive arguments. If there are suggestions for improvement, reviewers should explain them in detail to help authors improve the quality of their manuscripts.

Disclosure and Conflict of Interest: Information or ideas obtained through the review process should not be used for personal gain. If reviewers have a competitive, collaborative, or other relationship with the authors or institutions involved, they must inform the journal and withdraw from the review process if there is a potential conflict of interest. 

Timeliness : Reviewers should provide feedback within the stipulated time. If they are unable to complete the review within the agreed time limit, they should notify the editor immediately so that the manuscript can be transferred to another reviewer. 

PUBLISHER'S DUTIES 

Handling Violations of Publication Ethics: The publisher and editors will look into any suspicions or confirmations of plagiarism, data manipulation, or unethical publication and take the necessary steps, which may include retracting the publication in extreme situations or offering a correction or clarification.

Accessibility of Journal Content : Publishers are in charge of keeping up digital archives and collaborating with different organizations to help the dissemination and preservation of research findings in order to guarantee that scientific research will always be accessible.