Initial Evaluation
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial editorial assessment. JPT aims to complete this assessment within 2 weeks of submission. Editors assess the manuscript’s relevance to the journal’s scope, originality, scientific quality, methodological soundness, ethical compliance, and adherence to the Author Guidelines.
Manuscripts are also screened for similarity and possible inappropriate AI use in accordance with JPT’s Plagiarism Policy and AI Usage Policy. Screening scores are not used as the sole basis for determining misconduct or rejecting a manuscript. Manuscripts may be returned for correction or rejected without external review if they do not meet essential scientific, ethical, or submission requirements. Suitable manuscripts proceed to external peer review.
Peer review
Original Research Articles, Review Articles, and Short Communications undergo double-anonymous peer review by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Author and reviewer identities are concealed from each other, while the editors handling the manuscript have access to both.
Authors are not required to submit an anonymized manuscript. Before external review, the JPT editorial team removes author-identifying information from the review files and their metadata. Review reports are also checked for identifying information before being shared with authors.
Reviewers are selected according to their expertise and independence and must disclose any competing interests before accepting an assignment. Manuscripts involving an editor as an author are handled by an independent editor.
Reviewers are normally asked to submit their reports within four to six weeks of accepting the invitation. Actual processing times may vary depending on reviewer availability, manuscript complexity, and the need for additional assessment.
Reviewers assess:
- Originality, significance, and relevance to plant protection.
- Clarity of the research objectives and knowledge gap.
- Appropriateness of the methods and analyses.
- Accuracy and clarity of the results.
- Whether the evidence supports the interpretation and conclusions.
- Appropriate use of relevant literature and compliance with ethical standards.
An additional reviewer may be appointed when reports differ substantially or specialist advice is required.
Decision
Reviewer recommendations are advisory. The responsible editor makes the editorial decision after considering the manuscript, reviewer reports, ethical requirements, and the authors’ responses where applicable. Decisions may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection. Authors receive the decision and relevant reviewer comments. A request for revision does not guarantee acceptance.
Revision
Authors must submit a revised manuscript and a point-by-point response explaining how each editorial and reviewer comment has been addressed. When authors disagree with a recommendation, they must provide a clear scientific justification.
The revision deadline is stated in the decision letter. Authors who need additional time should contact the Editorial Office before the deadline. If no revision or response is received, JPT may discontinue processing. Revised manuscripts may be assessed by the editor, returned to the original reviewers, or sent to additional reviewers when necessary.
Galley proof
After acceptance and production editing, a galley proof is sent to the corresponding author. Authors must check the text, author information, tables, figures, references, and declarations and return corrections within the deadline specified by the Editorial Office. Proof corrections should address production errors and essential factual corrections. New results, major rewriting, or changes to the conclusions require editorial approval and may require further peer review. The corresponding author coordinates approval of the final proof with all coauthors. Approval does not remove the authors’ responsibility to report significant errors discovered after publication.
Appeals
Authors may appeal an editorial decision in accordance with the procedures and time limits stated in JPT’s Publication Ethic.
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