Editorial Evaluation Process

Initial Review

Upon receiving a manuscript, the Editorial Committee of Land, Crops & Environment conducts a preliminary assessment to verify its originality, thematic relevance, and compliance with formal requirements. Compilatio software is used to detect textual similarities and prevent plagiarism.

Authors must obtain the necessary permissions to reproduce any material (figures, tables, text excerpts) from other sources and must cite them properly.

If the article does not align with the journal’s editorial scope or fails to meet the established guidelines, the author will be notified to make the required adjustments, or may be advised to submit the work to a more suitable journal.

Double-Blind Peer Review

Manuscripts that pass the initial review are then sent for scientific evaluation under a double-blind peer review system, ensuring the anonymity of both authors and reviewers. Two external reviewers will issue a report with one of the following recommendations:

  • Acceptance with no modifications
  • Acceptance with minor revisions (does not require re-evaluation)
  • Acceptance with major revisions (requires re-evaluation)
  • Rejection

If conflicting recommendations arise, the editor will make a decision or may request a third review. All reviewer comments will be communicated to the author through the editorial system for consideration and response.

This process may take an average of four months. Submission of a manuscript does not guarantee its publication.

Publication Process

Once approved, the manuscript enters a technical editing stage that includes: style and grammar review, metadata verification (DOI, ORCID, keywords, dates of submission and acceptance), and translation of the abstract when applicable.

Afterward, the article is typeset and scheduled for publication on the official Land, Crops & Environment website.

Anti-Plagiarism Policy

All manuscripts are checked using Compilatio before the editorial process begins. Those with a similarity index above 10% will be returned to the author. Manuscripts that fall below this threshold will proceed to the review stage.

No-Cost Publication (APC)

Land, Crops & Environment adopts an open-access publication model that does not involve article processing charges (APC). The Universidad Agraria del Ecuador fully finances the stages of review, editing, typesetting, and digital publication.

Reviewers collaborate voluntarily and Ad honorem, as part of their commitment to scientific advancement.