International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology (Int. J. Hortic. Sci. Technol.) (ISSN: 2322-1461) is a Quarterly multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal published jointly by Iranian Society of Horticultural Science (IRSHS) and University of Tehran (UT). This instruction describes what Int. J. Hortic. Sci. Technol.publishes and will ensure we have everything required so your paper can move through peer review, production and publication smoothly.
WHAT DOES IJHST PUBLISH?
Scientific scope
The aim of International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology (Int. J. Hortic. Sci. Technol.) is to publish papers that advance our understanding in horticultural sciences. Original research should provide new information on fundamental and scientific practical issues and mechanisms including those underpinning the improvement of plants for the sustainable production of fruits, flowers, vegetables, medicinal plants and other horticultural products. When considering if a paper is suitable, consideration will be given to the breadth and significance of the work to the horticultural science community.
Areas of particular focus in horticultural crops:
- Growth and Development - integration of internal and external cues determining development and architecture; reproductive biology.
- Metabolism - photosynthesis; carbon uptake and assimilation; resource allocation; nutrition.
- Plant-environment interactions - global change; biotic and abiotic stresses; symbioses; plant-rhizoflora interactions; mineral nutrition.
- Molecular genetics - trait and gene characterization; molecular analysis; metabolic processes.
- Postharvest biology and technology - quality and performance of horticultural products and the new technologies for improvement of postharvest performance of horticultural crops
- Greenhouse production – including all aspects of plant growth and developments, modeling, nutrition and etc.
- Other miscellaneous aspects – including: tissue culture and micropropagation, plant breeding, plant propagation, seed technology and etc.
Further editorial guidance is provided in the following text.
Types of Article
- Research Papers should provide new insights into underlying horticultural hot topic issues, biological processes or functions at the ecological, physiological, molecular, and cellular or organism levels. The number of words should not exceed from 7000 (without words included in the References and Tables). Number of references should not also exceed from 70 references.
- Review Papers provide a synthesis of recent developments in areas of intensive current research. In-depth opinion papers that express a particular point of view on a controversial topic relevant to any aspect of horticultural plant science are also encouraged. The number of words should not exceed from 7000 (without words included in the References and Tables). Number of references should not also exceed from 100 references.
- Short Communications Report of preliminary results of important research (pilot investigation; e.g. no duplications or with other restrictions) or Newly developed methodology or modification of existing methodology, possibly description of first test should be as completely documented, both by reference to the literature and description of the experimental procedures employed, as a regular paper. They should not occupy more than 4 printed pages (about 8 manuscript pages, including figures, etc.).
- Letter to editor
PREPRATION AND SUBMISSION
Overview
All submissions are checked in terms of remit and quality, and if suitable go forward to full peer review.
All articles should be written in English. Manuscripts should be submitted online at https://ijhst.ut.ac.ir/contacts. First-time users of the online submission system must register for an account. A manuscript number will be mailed to the corresponding author. Title page should include the authors' full names and affiliations, the name of the corresponding author along with phone, fax and E-mail information. Present addresses of authors should appear as a footnote. The cover letter containing the above information should be in a separate paper file submitted online, whose name should begin with the first author's surname. The authors may also suggest two to five reviewers for their manuscript but Int. J. Hortic. Sci. Technol. may designate other reviewers. All the authors are encouraged to consider becoming the member of IRSHS.
Presentation
A clear presentation of your paper is very important to ensure that its scientific content is clear and fully understandable. British or American English is acceptable as long as usage is consistent throughout the paper. If you have any concerns about use of English, please consider getting professional help with language editing before submission (please note that this does not guarantee acceptance). You can contact +989170240100 (editingenglishness@gmail.com) for English editing.
Length and Structure
Primary data should only be presented once (e.g. table or graph, but not both).
Please use a standard 12-pt font and 1.5-line spacing, numbering all pages (center, bottom of the page). Lines should be numbered continuously from the first to last page.
Following the title page, research papers should be presented as follows: Title, Highlight, Abstract, Key words, Abbreviations, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgements (which should include funding details), Conflict of Interest and References. This should be followed by Tables and Figures.
Covers
We will consider original images for the cover of the journal, either directly from or closely related to a paper in an issue. If you have something suitable please provide it in the same final format as a figure, i.e. ideally as a .jpeg and always at a minimum 300 dpi at publication size (which for the cover is 84 × 284 mm). Images may be submitted at the time of initial submission or later by e-mail (in which case please always provide your manuscript number/title). Include a very brief description of what is shown and credit information.
Title
The title should be concise and informative. For research papers, it should usually state the novel scientific findings being presented. A title that asks a question may also be effective. Remember that this will be the most frequently read part of your paper.
Abstract
The abstract should be engaging and useful 'stand-alone' text without references of no more than 250 words. Research papers should detail why the research was undertaken; approach and methodology if appropriate; main findings; and key conclusions, including wider implications. Repeat key words and phrases as appropriate.
Keywords
Please provide 4-7 keywords for your paper (alphabetical order) after the abstract. Think of words/phrases people might use in searches. The main ones should also appear in the abstract.
Natural, consistent repetition of key words and phrases in your title, highlight, abstract and subheadings will aid search engine optimization - which means that other researchers will be able to find and cite your work.
Abbreviations
Please limit the use of nonstandard abbreviations - they can make your text harder, not easier, to read. Generally only use them for words used at least three times in the text but only where the shortened form will aid readability. Define the term on first mention: for example, Abscisic acid (ABA) and Cytokinins (Ck) act in an antagonistic. If you do have such defined abbreviations, also provide them in a list, in alphabetical order, after the key words.
For writing the manuscript use 12-pt Times New Roman font, bold the headlines and italicize the subheadings.
Introduction
The introduction should provide a clear statement of the problem, the relevant literature on the subject, and the proposed approach or solution. It should be understandable to colleagues from a broad range of scientific disciplines. At the end of introduction show the research questions and aim of the study.
Materials and Methods
This section should be complete enough to allow experiments to be replicated. However, only truly new procedures should be described in details. Previously published procedures should be cited and important modifications of published procedures should be mentioned briefly. Capitalize trade names and include the manufacturers’ name and address. Subheadings should be used as Italic. Methods in general use need not be described in detail.
Results
Results should be presented with clarity and precision. The results should be written in the past tense when describing findings in the authors' experiments. Results should be explained, but largely without referring to the literature. Discussion, speculation and detailed interpretation of data should not be included in the Results but should be put into the Discussion section.
Discussion
Discussion should interpret the findings in view of the results obtained in this and in past studies on this topic and comparison must be made between it and past studies. State the conclusions in a few sentences at the end of the paper. The Discussion should be separated from the Results section.
TABLES AND FIGURES
Tables
Each numbered table (e.g. Table 1, Table 2) should have a concise, descriptive heading, with any further essential explanation added as a footnote. This should provide enough detail to understand the table without referring to the main text (i.e. it should 'stand alone'), although there is no need to redefine abbreviations not specific to the table or give full species names where this information has already been provided.
Please create your tables using the table tool in Microsoft Word and use a separate page in your main text file for each one. All tables need to be cited in sequence in the main text.
Figure Legends
Each numbered legend (e.g. Fig. 1, Fig. 2) should begin with a concise, self-explanatory description of the figure. It should go on to provide enough detail to understand the figure without referring to the main text. A description of any symbols should be given in full (please do not include actual character symbols in the legend). Micrographs must include a scale bar, with the length ideally provided on the image (but otherwise indicated in the legend).
Figures
Figures are the final items in your main file, with one per page. However, these should be prepared in a separate file (or files) such that they are ready for publication assuming your paper is accepted. The figures should have at least 300 dpi qualities.
Please make your figures as clear as possible, and add labelling where there are multiple panels using capital letters (A, B, etc.)
Each figure should be clearly labelled (Fig. 1, Fig. 2, etc.) and provided on a separate page in your main file. They should all be cited in sequence in the main text.
Composite Figures made by reorganizing different parts from the same or different gels/blots/exposures must be made explicit- clear dividing lines should be used to separate individual parts and the rationale for this arrangement must be explained in the legend. Presenting composite images as unedited originals, giving an impression that no reorganization has occurred, is unacceptable.
No specific region or feature within an image should be modified (i.e. moved, removed, introduced, enhanced or concealed). Brightness, contrast and color balance adjustments are permitted if they are applied to the whole image and do not misrepresent or otherwise obscure the information provided. Disclose any nonlinear adjustments, such as changes to gamma settings, in the figure legend.
You should keep ready access to all original images, which should be high quality, unedited, uncropped and high resolution. These may be requested during peer review.
COLOR
The use of color online is encouraged, and there is no charge. Please always follow color-blind friendly practice.
There are no charges for color online - figures and tables may be presented in color online and in greyscale in print. It is essential with this option that the figure is fully understandable without the color, and the legend (and main text of the paper) should not refer to color so that it works in print. Please note the availability of online-only color at the end of the legend:
REFERENCES
Citations
Previously published work must be acknowledged by appropriate citation in the main text and a full reference list. Attention to detail is important to ensure appropriate crosslinking.
Citation style examples:
Martin and Rotini (2015) have shown ...
... towards the root tip (Zhu, 2014; Chen and Zhu, 2015).
Note the use of date rather than alphabetical order. When papers are written by more than two authors use et al. (e.g. Zhao et al., 2015).
If several papers by the same author in the same year are cited, use letters to distinguish between them (e.g. 2016 a, b).
References
References should be listed in alphabetical order (without numbering). As with citations, these must be accurate and follow journal style.
Citation of papers from e-journals or available ahead of print should include the DOI or URL rather than volume/page numbers. Citation of other URLs may be made in the main text but should not be included in the reference list.
Examples:
Journal papers:
Maleki Asayesh Z, Vahdati K, Aliniaeifard S, Askari N. 2017. Enhancement of ex vitro acclimation of walnut plantlets through modification of stomatal characteristics in vitro. Scientia Horticulturae 220, 114-121.
Chapter in Book:
Van Meeteren U, and Aliniaeifard S. 2016. “Stomata and postharvest physiology,” in Postharvest Ripening Physiology of Crops, Ed. S. Pareek, Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 157–216.
Book:
Kalaji M.H, Goltsev VN, Żuk-Gołaszewska K, Zivcak M, Brestic M. 2017. Chlorophyll fluorescence: Understanding crop performance — Basics and applications (1st ed.). Boca Raton, CRC Press.
Thesis:
Fanourakis D. 2011. Stomatal response characteristics as affected by long-term elevated humidity levels. PhD thesis, Wageningen University, the Netherlands.
Note use full journal titles. Only papers published or in press should be provided. Unpublished results, including submitted papers and those in preparation are better to be avoided, if necessary to refer to them they should be cited as unpublished in the text.
STYLE POINTS
Numbers and Dates
Numbers up to ten should be spelled out in the text except when referring to measurements. Use numerals for numbers higher than ten except at the beginning of a sentence. Use decimals rather than fractions.
Dates should be given in the form 6 June 2017, and the 24 hour clock should be used.
Scientific Names
For species in frequent scientific use, such as wheat, it is preferable to use the common name in your paper. If the common name is used then the scientific name (e.g. Chrysanthemum morifolium) should still be given at first mention in the abstract and main text. Otherwise, use the scientific name for species under study, abbreviating the genus to the initial after first use in the abstract and main text unless there is a chance of confusion with other species used in the paper. The complete scientific name (genus, species and authority, and cultivar where appropriate) must be cited for every organism used in the study on first use in the materials and methods section.
Measurements
Use SI units. If nonstandard abbreviations are essential then define them in the text. Units of measurement should be spelled out except when preceded by a numeral, when they should be abbreviated in the standard form: g, mg, cm3, etc. Use negative exponents to indicate units in the denominator (e.g. mmol m–2 s–1).
Chemicals, Genes and Proteins
Follow Chemical Abstracts (https://www.cas.org/) and its indexes for chemical names. Use the IUPAC and IUBMB recommendations on chemical, biochemical and molecular biology nomenclature for amino acids, peptides, enzymes, nucleic acids, polynucleotides, carbohydrates and lipids.
Naming of genes and proteins must follow international standards. Always use italic text for gene symbols and loci, and capitalization as it applies for each organism. Proteins should appear in regular type.
Equations
Please use numbering (1, 2, etc.) if equations require more than one level of subscript or superscript.
NOTICE
All the manuscripts are checked for plagiarism before publication using iThenticate. Manuscripts with plagiarism will be rejected.
COPYRIGHT
Submission of a manuscript implies that the work described has not been published before (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, or thesis), it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere and its publication has been approved by all coauthors (if any). The corresponding author signs for and accepts responsibility for releasing this material on behalf of all co-authors. After submission of the Copyright Agreement signed by the corresponding author, changes of authorship or in the order of the authors listed will be accepted by Int. J. Hortic. Sci. Technol. provided that a letter signed by all authors confirming the order of the authors will be submitted to the journal. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to obtain all necessary copyright release permissions for the use of any copyrighted materials in the manuscript prior to the submission.
- Authors retain copyright (without restriction) and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Please download the COPYRIGHT form from here. All of the authors have to sign the copyright form and it has to be uploaded while submitting the manuscript.
Fees and Charge
Publication in IJHST is free of any charges for non-Iranian authors. For the Iranian authors to proceed with publishing manuscript after successful completion of reviewing processes. The total fee for the IRSHS members is 400,000 Toman and for Non_IRSHS members is 500,000 Toman. For paying the acceptance fee, the correspounding authors through clicking on the manuscript number would be directed to the online payment.