About the Journal

Open Access Policy

All articles published in Innovations in Plant and Environmental Sciences Research (IPESR) are made freely and immediately accessible worldwide under our open access publishing model. Our aim is to ensure that research in plant sciences, agricultural sciences, and environmental sciences is available without barriers and can be reused to support further scientific progress.

This policy ensures:

  • Immediate, free, and unrestricted access to the full text of all articles published in IPESR.
  • Unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction of published material, provided proper citation of the original work is maintained.
  • Sustainable open access publishing, supported by Article Processing Charges (APCs) typically covered by authors, their institutions, or research funding bodies after acceptance.

Articles published under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license may be reused, distributed, adapted, or reproduced for any lawful purpose, as long as:

  • The original article is properly cited.
  • The reuse does not imply that IPESR or the original authors endorse the new work.

This permission applies to all versions of a manuscript:

  • Submitted manuscript
  • Accepted manuscript
  • Final published version

Authors may archive their work in institutional repositories, subject-specific repositories, personal websites, or funder repositories without any restriction.

Publication Ethics

INNOVATIONS IN PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES RESEARCH (IPESR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity and ethical publishing. The journal aligns its practices with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows the Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing. Our editorial processes follow COPE-recommended procedures for addressing any potential unethical conduct by authors, reviewers, or editors.

All members of the IPESR editorial team receive training on recognizing and appropriately responding to ethical concerns, ensuring that every manuscript is handled with fairness, confidentiality, and academic rigor.

Guidelines related to ethical requirements for manuscript submission are provided in the journal’s Instructions for Authors. Authors are encouraged to review these instructions carefully before submitting their work. Information regarding the correction or updating of published articles is available in our Policy on Article Revisions and Corrections.

IPESR takes all ethical concerns raised by readers or researchers seriously. Any allegation regarding potential misconduct will be investigated by the editorial office following COPE’s recommended workflow. Questions concerning the scientific validity of published research are reviewed by the Editorial Board, which may request additional documentation, data verification, or expert opinions.

For disputes involving authorship, contributor roles, or data ownership, IPESR adheres strictly to COPE guidance, including How to Spot Authorship Problems.

  • When all authors agree on the change, authorship modifications may be processed through a formal correction.
  • If authors cannot reach consensus, the journal will request an official statement from the relevant institution(s) confirming who qualifies for authorship or ownership.
  • Authors are expected to respond promptly and transparently to any substantiated concerns regarding their work.

IPESR remains dedicated to fostering ethical scholarship and ensuring that published research upholds the highest standards of honesty, accuracy, and scientific integrity.

Publishing Standards and Guidelines

IPESR adheres to internationally recognized publishing standards to ensure transparency, accuracy, and high-quality scholarly communication. The journal follows a range of established guidelines and best practices applicable to plant sciences, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, and interdisciplinary research. Depending on the nature of the study, authors may be required—or strongly encouraged—to comply with the standards listed below.

ICMJE Recommendations

Although originally designed for medical journals, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommendations address essential editorial and ethical considerations relevant to all scientific disciplines. These include:

  • Authorship criteria
  • Conflict-of-interest disclosure
  • Editorial responsibilities
  • Handling complaints and appeals

IPESR follows relevant ICMJE principles to maintain integrity and fairness in the editorial process.

CONSORT Statement

For manuscripts reporting randomized or controlled experimental studies involving plants, soils, environmental treatments, or field trials, authors are encouraged to follow the CONSORT guidelines.

  • Authors should verify compliance with the CONSORT checklist and flow diagram.
  • When applicable, these documents may be uploaded with the manuscript to support transparency in study design and reporting.

TOP Guidelines (Transparency and Openness Promotion)

IPESR supports the TOP Guidelines, which strengthen transparency in reporting research methods and data.

  • Our journal aims to achieve Level 1 or Level 2 transparency across key TOP components.
  • Specific expectations may vary depending on article type and can be clarified with the editorial office upon request.

FAIR Data Principles

The FAIR Principles promote data that are:

  • Findable – properly indexed and described
  • Accessible – available to readers where ethically and legally appropriate
  • Interoperable – shared in formats compatible with common standards
  • Reusable – clearly documented so others may build upon the work

Authors are encouraged to provide well-structured datasets, metadata, and supporting information that align with FAIR data practices.

PRISMA Guidelines

For systematic reviews and meta-analyses, authors should follow the PRISMA guidelines.

  • Completion of the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram is recommended.
  • These documents may be included at submission to demonstrate adherence to methodological rigor.

ARRIVE Guidelines

For studies involving in vivo experiments, including controlled biological or ecological trials, authors are encouraged to consult the ARRIVE guidelines.

·        Authors should verify their reporting using the ARRIVE checklist and include it when applicable.

Plagiarism Screening Using iThenticate

IPESR uses iThenticate, a standard plagiarism-detection tool, during the initial screening and at any stage during peer review.

  • Similarity reports assist editors in identifying potential issues related to duplicate content, excessive similarity, or uncredited reuse.
  • Manuscripts with significant plagiarism will be rejected in accordance with the journal’s ethical standards.

Compliance and Author Responsibilities

Adherence to the above guidelines will be considered during the editorial decision-making process. If certain standards cannot be met due to study limitations, authors must clearly justify the reasons in their manuscript or cover letter.

Authors are encouraged to:

  • Indicate compliance with relevant guidelines in the cover letter
  • Provide completed checklists or flow diagrams where required
  • Ensure that all reporting is thorough, transparent, and replicable

Editorial Independence

All manuscripts submitted to IPESR undergo a rigorous peer-review process and are evaluated by independent members of the Editorial Board. Editorial decisions are made exclusively by qualified academic editors, and the journal’s staff do not influence or override decisions regarding acceptance or rejection.

When reaching a final decision on a manuscript, IPESR expects academic editors to base their judgment solely on:

  • The expertise and suitability of the selected reviewers;
  • The quality, clarity, and completeness of reviewer reports, along with the authors’ responses;
  • The overall scientific rigor, originality, and relevance of the manuscript.

IPESR upholds a strong commitment to editorial independence, academic integrity, and unbiased decision-making. The journal maintains clear separation between editorial evaluation, administrative support, and any external influences.

In every aspect of our operations, IPESR is guided by the mission to ensure that scientific knowledge—particularly in plant sciences, agriculture, and environmental research—is disseminated openly, transparently, and as efficiently as possible. Our policies prioritize accessibility, integrity, and the rapid communication of high-quality scientific findings.