For Authors
Contents
Guide for Authors
JPPDS provides the following instructions for manuscript preparation and submission. Authors must ensure that all submissions are original, scientifically rigorous, and aligned with the journal’s scope in plant pathology, plant health, pathogen biology, disease epidemiology, diagnostics, biosecurity, disease management, and related interdisciplinary plant disease studies.
Manuscripts that do not comply with these requirements or fall outside the journal’s scope may be returned to authors prior to peer review.
Article Types and Length
The journal publishes the following article types:
• Original Research Articles: up to 5,000 words
• Review Articles: up to 7,000 words
• Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses: up to 8,000 words
• Short Communications: up to 2,500 words
• Technical Notes / Methods Papers: up to 4,000 words
• Case Studies: up to 4,000 words
• Perspectives: up to 3,000 words
• Comments: up to 1,500 words
• Editorials (invited): up to 1,500 words
Word limits include text, references, tables, figures, and acknowledgments.
Manuscript Structure
Original Research Articles
Must be structured as follows:
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgments (optional)
• Funding Statement
• Conflict of Interest
• Data Availability Statement
• References
• Tables and Figures
Each section must be clearly separated. Results must present data only, while Discussion must interpret findings.
Review Articles
Must include:
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Thematic Sections
• Discussion / Synthesis
• Conclusions and Future Directions
Reviews must provide critical analysis, identify research gaps, and propose future directions.
Short Communications
Should be concise reports of:
• New research findings of immediate relevance to plant pathology and plant health
• Preliminary results with clear implications for disease diagnosis, epidemiology, or management
• Innovative approaches, emerging disease threats, or novel observations in plant pathogens, plant diseases, and disease management
Structure:
• Abstract
• Main Text (no mandatory subheadings)
• Conclusion
Technical Notes
Must describe new methods, tools, or analytical approaches.
Structure:
• Abstract
• Introduction (brief)
• Methodology / Protocol
• Applications
• Conclusion
Case Studies
Must present real-world applications of ecological or climate-related interventions, emphasizing system responses, outcomes, and practical lessons.
Structure:
• Abstract
• Background
• Case Description
• Outcomes
• Discussion
• Conclusion
Perspectives and Commentaries
Must present scholarly opinion or emerging concepts.
Structure:
• Abstract (optional)
• Main Text
• Conclusion
Abstract and Keywords
• Maximum abstract length: 200 words
• Must include: background, objective, methods, results, and conclusion
• No citations allowed in abstract
• Provide at least 5 keywords
Manuscript Formatting
• File format: MS Word (.doc or .docx)
• Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt
• Line spacing: Double
• Margins: 2.5 cm
• Continuous line numbering required
• Left-aligned text
• Maximum three heading levels
• Scientific names must be italicized.
Figures and Tables
• Figures must be submitted in high resolution (JPG, TIFF, PDF, or vector formats)
• Tables must be editable (Word format)
• Figures and tables must be numbered sequentially
• Titles must be self-explanatory
• Avoid duplication of data between text and tables
References (APA Style)
The journal uses the APA referencing style.
• In-text citation: (Author, Year)
• Reference list must be alphabetical
• Only cited references should be included
Examples:
• Journal Article
• Book
• Report
Language
Manuscripts must be written in clear English (British or American, consistently).
Authors whose first language is not English are strongly advised to use professional language editing.
Ethical Compliance (Author Responsibility)
Authors must ensure:
• Ethical approval for human or animal studies, where applicable
• Proper consent for human-related research
• Compliance with institutional and national guidelines
• Originality and absence of misconduct
Data Availability
A Data Availability Statement is required for all research articles.
• Data should be deposited in public repositories where possible
• DOI or access link must be provided
• If data cannot be shared, justification must be stated
Submission Requirements
Submission implies that:
• The manuscript is original
• It is not under review elsewhere
• All authors approve submission
• All ethical and funding disclosures are included
Manuscripts must be submitted in:
• Word file
• Matching PDF file
Proofs and Publication
After acceptance:
• Manuscripts are copyedited and typeset
• Authors receive proofs for correction
• Final articles are published online as Early View with DOI
• Articles become fully citable upon publication
Pre-Submission Inquiries
Authors may contact the editorial office before submission to confirm the suitability of manuscripts within the journal's scope.
Article Types
Original Research Articles present novel empirical, experimental, observational, theoretical, or applied findings in plant pathology, plant health, pathogen biology, disease epidemiology, diagnostics, and disease management. These articles constitute the core content of the journal and contribute new knowledge to the understanding and management of plant diseases.
Submissions must demonstrate:
• Clear
research objectives and hypotheses
• Robust and reproducible
methodology
• Rigorous data collection and analysis
•
Scientifically sound interpretation of findings
• Original
contributions to plant pathology and plant health
•
Evidence-based conclusions with scientific or practical relevance
•
Compliance with applicable ethical and biosafety standards
Research may be based on field, laboratory, greenhouse, molecular, epidemiological, diagnostic, or disease management studies relevant to plant health and disease systems.
Required
structure:
Abstract
– Introduction – Materials and Methods – Results – Discussion
– Conclusion
Each section must be clearly separated. Results must present data only, while Discussion must interpret findings.
Review Articles provide a critical synthesis of existing or emerging research.
They must:
Identify knowledge gaps
Evaluate existing literature
Synthesize scientific evidence
Propose future research directions
Types include:
Systematic Reviews
Meta-Analyses
Thematic Reviews
Conceptual Reviews
Short Communications present concise reports of important findings requiring rapid dissemination, including:
• Preliminary findings in plant pathology and plant health
• Novel observations on plant pathogens and diseases
• New insights into disease diagnosis, epidemiology, or management
• Unexpected host–pathogen interactions or disease outbreaks
• Emerging plant disease threats and pathogen trends
Technical Notes present innovative methods, tools, protocols, technologies, or analytical approaches relevant to plant pathology, pathogen detection, disease diagnostics, disease surveillance, and plant health management.
Topics may include:
• Pathogen detection and diagnostic techniques
• Disease surveillance and monitoring tools
• Molecular, serological, and bioinformatic methods
• Statistical and analytical approaches for plant disease research
• Computational tools and disease management workflows
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in plant pathology
• Disease forecasting and risk assessment tools
• Plant health and biosecurity technologies
Technical Notes should clearly describe the innovation, its application, validation, limitations, and potential value to researchers and plant health professionals.
Case Studies present real-world applications of plant disease management, pathogen control, plant health interventions, and biosecurity practices. These articles emphasize practical outcomes, management strategies, implementation challenges, and lessons learned from addressing plant disease problems.
Case studies may focus on:
• Disease outbreaks and management interventions
• Pathogen detection and disease surveillance programs
• Integrated disease management strategies
• Biological, chemical, or cultural disease control approaches
• Plant biosecurity and quarantine measures
• Disease resistance and plant health improvement programs
Submissions should clearly describe the problem, intervention, outcomes, lessons learned, and implications for plant disease management or plant health practice.
These articles provide expert opinion on:
• Emerging plant disease and plant health issues
• Disease management and biosecurity debates
• Future research directions in plant pathology
• Conceptual and methodological developments
Data Papers describe well-documented datasets deposited in public repositories.
They must include:
• Dataset description
• Methodology
• Validation details
• Repository link
APC & Fees
JPPDS is an open access journal. All accepted articles are published immediately and made freely available worldwide. An Article Processing Charge (APC) supports editorial and production services, ensuring open access publishing.
APC Amount
The standard Article Processing Charge is: USD 1,000 per accepted article
This fee applies to all article types, including:
• Research Articles
• Review Articles
• Short Communications
• Technical Notes
• Case Studies
• Perspectives and Commentaries
• Data Papers
No additional charges apply for figures, supplementary materials, or page length within journal limits.
• Invoices are issued automatically after acceptance through the submission system.
• Payments are processed via secure institutional channels.
• Taxes (if applicable) are determined by author jurisdiction.
What the APC Covers
The APC supports:
• Editorial and peer review management
• Manuscript processing and coordination
• Copyediting and typesetting
• DOI registration
• Online publication and hosting
• Archiving and preservation services
• Open access distribution
Waiver Policy
Waivers or discounts may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
Eligible applicants include:
• Authors from low-income and lower-middle-income countries
• Students with first authorship
• Researchers without institutional funding
• Exceptional cases approved by the Editor-in-Chief
Types of waivers:
• Partial Waiver (up to 50%): limited annually and granted based on financial need, institutional assessment, and eligibility criteria, particularly for authors from low- and middle-income countries.
• Editorial Waiver: reserved for invited manuscripts, special issues, or strategically important contributions at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.
• Quota Control (internal policy): waivers are limited to a fixed percentage of annual accepted articles per journal.
Please submit waiver requests at the time of manuscript submission with justification.
Payment Terms
• APC is payable only after manuscript acceptance
• No submission or review fees are charged
• An invoice is issued after acceptance
• Payment is required within 7–14 days
Failure to complete payment may delay publication.
Refund Policy
Refunds are limited and subject to conditions.
Eligible cases:
• Duplicate payments
• Publisher administrative errors
• Withdrawal before production begins
Non-refundable cases:
• Rejection after peer review
• Withdrawal after acceptance
• Author errors in submission
Refund requests must be submitted within 7 days of payment. Processing time is 14–21 business days. Transaction fees may be deducted.
Currency and Payment Methods
All APC payments are made in:
United States Dollars (USD)
Alternative currencies may be accepted upon request and converted at current exchange rates.
Accepted payment methods include:
• Bank transfer (SWIFT)
• Institutional payment
• Approved online payment systems
Open Access Policy
All articles are published under an open access model and are freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0).