Proposing a Special Issue

Special issues in agronomy highlight focused themes, emerging methods, and practice relevant research.

Special issues bring together papers around a coherent theme such as soil health, crop systems, precision agriculture, sustainable inputs, or climate resilient farming. Proposals may be led by a single guest editor or a team of guest editors with complementary expertise.

Special issues should align with the scope of the Journal of Agronomy Research and provide a clear value to the agronomy community. We encourage proposals that demonstrate strong scientific relevance and practical implications.

Guest editors should have a track record of publications or leadership in the topic area. Early career researchers may partner with senior co editors to strengthen the proposal.

• Proposed theme and title, with a brief rationale and scope
• Guest editor(s) short bio and institutional affiliation
• Draft topics list or keywords that define the scope
• Potential contributors or research communities to target
• Proposed timeline with submission, review, and publication milestones
• Any planned outreach or calls for papers

Proposals may also include a draft editorial or overview article if available. This helps clarify the scope and intended contribution of the special issue.

Please include the expected number of papers, if known. This helps with planning and review capacity.

• Alignment with agronomy scope and journal standards
• Novelty and relevance of the theme
• Feasibility of the proposed timeline
• Guest editor expertise and publication record
• Expected interest from the research community

Guest editors are expected to follow the journal ethics policy and ensure that peer review is fair and transparent. All final decisions are confirmed by the journal editorial office.

Guest editors should avoid conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decisions where a conflict exists.

• Online submission and tracking system for editors and authors
• Administrative support for peer review and production workflows
• Copyediting, formatting, and publication of accepted papers
• Promotion and visibility support for the final special issue

The journal also handles metadata preparation, DOI assignment, and indexing workflows for accepted articles.

Timelines vary by scope and volume, but a typical plan includes:

• Call for papers and outreach: 4 to 6 weeks
• Submission window: 8 to 12 weeks
• Peer review and revisions: 8 to 12 weeks
• Final acceptance and production: 4 to 6 weeks

Guest editors can propose alternative schedules based on topic urgency or expected submission volume.

A brief pre submission inquiry phase may be included to gauge interest and refine the scope.