Instructions to Authors

Guidelines to authors

General

Original research papers and short communications based on research on all aspects of plantation crops (coconut, arecanut, cocoa, cashew, oil palm, coffee, tea, rubber including plantation based cropping system) and spices (black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, tree spices) are accepted for publication in the Journal. Review articles that summarize, analyze and synthesize the existing state of knowledge on an aspect of plantation crops/spices are generally published by invitation only. Original papers including Tables, Illustrations and References may not exceed 4000 words. Short communications should not exceed 1300 words. All the authors should be members of the Indian Society for Plantation Crops for publication of their paper in the Journal of Plantation Crops. The manuscripts and correspondence concerning editorial matters may be addressed to the Editor, Journal of Plantation Crops, Central Plantation Crops Research Institute, Kasaragod-671 124, Kerala, India.

Manuscripts

Articles published or submitted elsewhere for publication should not be submitted for publication in the Journal. An undertaking to this extent needs to be taken by the corresponding author before accepting an article for publication in the Journal. Manuscripts should conform to the Journal format. It must be typed in double-space on one side of A4 size paper with a margin of 4 cm each on the left-hand side and top, and 3 cm each on right- hand side and bottom and numbered serially. Three copies of the manuscript should be submitted. Of this two copies are to be without the author’s name(s), address (es), acknowledgement and any other self-identifying matter. Authors may also send a soft copy (prepared in MS WORD) as e- mail attachment to ispcjpc@yahoo.com or editorjpc@yahoo.com .

The manuscript is to be arranged in the following order:

Title page: Provide a separate Title page with the following items. Title of the paper should be informative and concise.

By-line should contain the name(s) of author(s) and footnote symbols to indicate corresponding author and address, including e-mail.

From-line should contain the name and address of the institution where the research work was carried out.

Keywords: A maximum of six keywords suitable for indexing may be given in alphabetical order. A short Running Title not exceeding 30 characters should be provided

Abstract: This should contain a brief (not exceeding 250 words) and accurate summary of the objectives, contents and conclusions of the paper. It should be intelligible without reference to the full paper. Abbreviations should be avoided in the Abstract.

Introduction: It may explain the scope of research work. Only the most relevant and recent references of literature may be included.

Material and Methods: It should be brief, but sufficiently informative enough to be able to repeat the work. The data should be subjected to statistical analysis.

Results and Discussion: These may be combined. The significance of the results obtained is to be highlighted in relation to other relevant published works. In the case Short Communication, the above section headings may be avoided.

Acknowledgements: This may be provided wherever needed and be specific.

References: This should include only publications cited in the text. References to unpublished data, private communications and documents with limited circulation may be avoided to the possible extent. An article should not be referred to as “in press” unless it has been accepted for publication. The name of the Journal in which such an article has been accepted should be given in the cited reference. The references may be cited in alphabetical order of the first authors name followed by the co-authors. The following examples may be adopted.

Articles from Journals: Name(s) and initial(s) of author(s); year of publication (further distinguished by the addition of small letters a, b, c etc., where there are citations to more than one paper published by the same author(s) in one year), title of the paper, name of the journal in italics abbreviated as per the “World list of periodicals”, volume number (in bold) followed by page numbers.

E.g.: Wigley, T.M., Briffa, K.R. and Jones, P.D.1984. Predicting plant productivity and water resources. Nature (London) 312:102-103.

Articles from Symposia proceedings or Seminars: Name(s) and initial(s) of author(s), year of publication, title of the article, page numbers followed by In: Title of volume in italics, name(s) of editor(s) proceeded by Ed(s). name (s) of publisher and place of publication.

E.g.: Sreenath, H.L., Muniswamy, B., Naidu, M.M., Dharmaraj, P.S. and Ramaiah, P.K.1992.Immature embryo culture in coffee from three interspecific crosses. pp.23-36.In: PLACROSYM IX. (Eds). Nambiar, K.K.N., Iyer, R.D., Rao, E.V.B.B, Rao, W.K., Premkumar, T. and Hegde, M.R., Indian Society for Plantation Crops, Kasaragod.

Chapter in a Book: e.g.: Baldesdent, J. and Marotti, A. 1996. Measurement of soil, organic matter using 13 C natural abundance. pp. 83-111.In: Mass spectroscopy of soil. (Eds.) Bouten, S. and Yamasaki, S. Marcel Dekker, New York.

Book: Name(s) of the author(s) followed by their initial(s), year of publication, complete Title of the book in italics, Edition (if applicable), total number of pages, name of publisher and place of publication.

E.g.: Giller, K.E. and Wilson, K.J. 1991. Nitrogen fixation in tropical cropping systems. 313 pp. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.

Tables: The tables may be typed on separate pages, numbered serially in Arabic numerals and carry appropriate titles in bold type. The preferred position of the Table may be indicated in the manuscript. Presenting Tables that are too long to print across the page should be avoided. Vertical rules should not be marked within the table.

Illustrations: Figures may be serially numbered in the order of their first citation in the text. Send only sharp, glossy, black and white/colour photographic prints, not larger than 20 x 25 cm. High quality laser prints and graphs are also accepted. Letters, numbers and symbols should be clear and even, throughout and of sufficient size so that all the items will still be legible when reduced for publication. Titles and detailed explanation should be given separately in the legends for figures. Every figure should have a label on its back indicating the number of the figure and author’s name. The preferred position of the figure may be indicated in the manuscript. Presentation of same data in both table and figures/graphs should be avoided.

All articles submitted to JPC will be subjected to peer reviewing. They will be sent back to the corresponding author along with the Referee’s comments for revision, if necessary. The revised article should be returned in electronic form (MS WORD), in addition to a hard copy along with the original and the Referee’s comments. The electronic manuscript should be in a CD, labelled properly, giving details of file name, operating system and software used. Proof: The proof in PDF will be sent to the corresponding author for correction, if found necessary. They should be returned to the Editor within a period of two weeks. Alterations in proof other than printing errors may be avoided. Excessive corrections are chargeable to the Author.