Before submission
Research integrity matters. Submissions are examined for plagiarism, duplicate publication, data manipulation and inappropriate image alteration. Suspected misconduct may result in rejection and referral through appropriate institutional channels.
The corresponding author should submit through the online manuscript system. Authors may suggest suitable reviewers, including their affiliations and email addresses, while avoiding conflicts of interest.
- Write the manuscript in clear, accurate English.
- Confirm that every listed author meets the authorship criteria and approves the submitted version.
- Prepare one editable word-processing file containing text, references, tables and figures.
- Number lines, use double spacing and leave generous margins.
- Disclose relevant funding, competing interests and ethical approvals.
Choose an article type
Original article
Include an abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion and references. The abstract may contain up to 400 words. Up to 20 authors may appear in the main byline; additional contributors can be listed in an appendix.
Review article
Use a structure appropriate to the topic and provide an informative, unstructured abstract of about 250 words. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses and consensus papers should follow accepted methods for their study type.
Short communication
Present a concise study in no more than 2,000 words, excluding captions, table headings and references. Include no more than two figures or tables and no more than 25 references.
Letter to the editor
Use a short descriptive title and keep the main text between 250 and 1,000 words.
Manuscript structure
Title page
Provide the full title, author names and affiliations, and identify the corresponding author. Add a brief statement describing each author's contribution.
Abstract and keywords
Keep the abstract within the limit for the selected article type. Supply three to six keywords in alphabetical order that accurately describe the paper.
Main text
The introduction should define the research question without unnecessary background. Materials and methods must provide enough detail and references for replication. Results should make the reported data understandable, while the discussion should explain their significance and relationship to previous research.
Technical style
- Use International System of Units (SI).
- At first mention, pair an organism's common name with its complete scientific name in italics.
- Prepare equations with an equation editor and number them consecutively when several appear.
- Place acknowledgements, contribution statements and required declarations in clearly labelled sections.
Tables, figures and supplementary files
Number tables and figures consecutively with Arabic numerals, refer to each one in the text and provide a self-contained title or caption. Do not duplicate the same data in both a table and a graph.
| Asset | Preparation requirement |
|---|---|
| Colour figures | TIF or JPG, CMYK where applicable, at least 300 dpi. |
| Greyscale or line art | TIF or JPG at least 600 dpi, with clear and consistent lettering. |
| Tables | Editable, numbered consecutively and understandable without the main text. |
| Movies | Upload as supplementary files; each file should not exceed 5 MB. |
Define symbols and abbreviations in the caption, note or figure itself. After acceptance, production-ready original files may be requested.
Citations and references
Agronomy uses an author–year citation system. For one or two authors, use the surname or surnames and year. For three or more authors, use the first surname followed by et al. and the year.
- Arrange grouped citations from earlier to later years, separated by semicolons.
- For the same author and year, distinguish records with lower-case letters such as 2025a and 2025b.
- List references alphabetically by the first author's surname, then chronologically where appropriate.
- Abbreviate journal titles consistently and include enough publication information to identify each source.
- Keep personal communications and unpublished data in the text rather than the reference list.
Reference patterns
Journal article: Author surname and initials, year. Article title. Abbreviated Journal Title volume:page range.
Book: Author or organisation, year. Book title. Edition. Publisher.
Chapter: Chapter author, year. Chapter title. In: editor (ed.), book title. Publisher, page range.
Online material: Organisation or author, year. Page title. Include a stable URL and access information where required.
In press: Include only manuscripts accepted for publication and mark them as in press.
Peer-review policy
Editors first assess whether a submission fits Agronomy Journal's readership, scope and editorial priorities. Manuscripts that proceed are assigned to an editor with relevant subject knowledge and are normally evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.
Reviewers assess scientific soundness, methodological clarity, interpretation and presentation. Editorial decisions consider those reports alongside the manuscript's relevance and contribution. Authors should respond to each review point clearly when submitting a revision.
Authorship and research ethics
Authorship
Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work, data analysis or interpretation, drafting or critical revision, and approval of the final version. Funding acquisition, data collection or general supervision alone does not establish authorship.
Human and animal research
Research involving people or animals must follow applicable institutional and national ethical requirements. Authors should identify the approving review body and provide the relevant approval or exemption information. Human research should follow recognised ethical principles, and animal work should meet accepted welfare standards.
Trials and environmental responsibility
Applicable prospective trials should be entered in an accessible public registry before enrolment begins. Research involving ecosystems or non-native species must comply with requirements intended to protect native biodiversity.