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Announcements
4 July 2025
MDPI’s Newly Launched Journals in June 2025
Six new journals covering a range of subjects launched their inaugural issues in June 2025. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access. We are pleased to present the latest research and to make it accessible to all.
We extend our sincere thanks to all the Editorial Board Members for their commitment and expertise. Each journal is dedicated to upholding strong editorial standards through a thorough peer review process, ensuring impactful open access scholarship.
Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.
Journal | Founding Editor-in-Chief | Journal Topics (Selected) |
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Prof. Dr. Chang-Pu Sun, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Beijing, China; Computational Science Research Center, China Editorial | View inaugural issue |
quantum information and phenomena; condensed matter physics and statistical physics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; computational physics and mathematical methods View journal scope | Submit an article |
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Prof. Dr. Hualiang Lin, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Prof. Dr. Jose L. Domingo, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue |
green and organic food; green infrastructures; green exercise; environmental impact of the healthcare sector; effects of climate change on human health | View journal scope | Submit an article |
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Prof. Dr. Francesco Veglio, University of L’Aquila, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue |
ultra-pure substances; water purification; air purification; gas purification; inorganic chemical purification; purification technologies View journal scope | Submit an article |
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Prof. Dr. Junxing Zheng, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue |
computer-aided design and engineering; artificial intelligence and machine learning; building information modeling (BIM) and digital twins; robotics and automation in construction; smart sensors and Internet of Things (IoT); intelligent control systems and facilities management View journal scope | Submit an article |
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Prof. Dr. Assunta Di Vaio, University of Naples Parthenope, Italy Editorial | View inaugural issue |
sustainability, managerial, and biodiversity accounting; carbon management accounting; corporate social responsibility; artificial intelligence and disclosure View journal scope | Submit an article |
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Prof. Dr. Changjun Liu, Sichuan University, China Editorial | View inaugural issue |
bioeffects of electromagnetic waves; electromagnetic science and engineering; microwave, millimeter-wave, and terahertz technologies; metamaterials and metasurfaces; communication, sensing, and networks; energy, power, and sustainable applications; quantum and emerging technologies; artificial intelligence and advanced fabrication View journal scope | Submit an article |
2 July 2025
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #24 - 2024 Impact Factor & CiteScore, MDPI Summits France & USA, Tu Youyou Award

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.
In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.
Opening Thoughts
MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights
For those of our readers who are new to academic publishing, you may have heard some news in June around the Impact Factor release. Every year, typically in June, Clarivate releases its annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR), which include Journal Impact Factors (JIF). This metric is widely used in academic publishing to reflect the average number of citations received by recent articles in each journal.
While Impact Factor is just one of many indicators of journal influence, it remains a major milestone for authors, editors, and publishers. It’s used to assess journal visibility, researcher recognition, and scholarly reach. Throughout our international meetings and events, it’s clear that the Impact Factor is something many of our authors and editorial board members care about, as it can influence where they choose to submit an article and the funding they receive for their research.
“These results reflect the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI”
MDPI’s 2024 Impact Factor Highlights
- 298 MDPI journals received a Journal Impact Factor.
- 60 journals earned their first-ever Impact Factor
- To put this in perspective: MDPI’s 60 new journal acceptances into the Web of Science was the second highest number of any publisher in 2024, behind Elsevier and ahead of Springer Nature. Our 87% acceptance rate for journals submitted to Web of Science shows the strength of our editorial process and our proven ability to develop journals aligned with Clarivate’s 24 evaluation criteria.
- Notably, Textiles, Mathematics, International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Smart Cities, Systems, and Pharmaceutics ranked in the top 10% in their respective categories, highlighting their growing influence and prestige within their academic fields. This shows that high-quality indexing goes beyond visibility; it upholds credibility and trust.
- 193 MDPI journals are now ranked in the top 50% (Q1/Q2) of their subject categories.
- What does this mean, and why is it important? Journals are ranked by quartiles within their field, based on their Impact Factor. Q1 represents the top 25% of journals in their category, Q2 the next 25%, and so on. Being in Q1 or Q2 shows that a journal is performing well relative to other journals in its category. Authors and institutions often look at quartile rankings when choosing where to publish – it’s an important indicator of visibility and recognition, within its respective category.
- 116 of our previously ranked journals increased their Impact Factor.
- 14 MDPI journals achieved an Impact Factor of 5.0 or higher, suggesting a high degree of influence and visibility.
These results reflect our staff's hard work: from our editorial and production teams to our indexing, communications, and data teams, and beyond. This also reflects the trust that the scholarly community places in MDPI, reinforcing the message that when researchers publish with MDPI, they publish with impact.
Open Access with Impact
As the leading fully open access publisher, our journals have received a total of 18.4 million citations in the Web of Science by the end of 2024, reflecting the growing reach and engagement of research published with MDPI. We are committed to making scientific research freely accessible to everyone, everywhere. With the support of more than 4.2 million contributing authors, we’re proud to support the global shift toward open access.
Further Reading
If you’d like to better understand how journals get indexed and why Impact Factors matter, please read this recent interview with Dr. Constanze Schelhorn (Head of Indexing). It gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the role our indexing team plays in supporting journal indexing and visibility.
You can also read our official news announcement shared last week: MDPI Journals in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports.
Thank you to everyone, from our authors and reviewers to our editors and internal teams, who contributed to the progress of our journal indexing in 2024. We’re continuing to build journals that are recognized and trusted across disciplines.
Impactful Research
MDPI Journals See Continued Growth in 2024 CiteScore Results
Continuing our indexing updates, I’m pleased to share that MDPI has achieved strong results in the latest CiteScore metrics, released on 5 June by Scopus. These results reflect the collective efforts of our editors, reviewers, authors, and internal teams, with their dedication to quality and visibility in scientific publishing. You can read the full announcement here.
2024 Highlights:
- 322 MDPI journals received a CiteScore (up from 274 last year).
- 283 journals (88%) are ranked in Q1 or Q2 of their subject categories.
- 237 journals (85%) saw an increase in their CiteScore compared to last year.
- 48 journals received a CiteScore for the first time.
- 39 journals are now placed in the top 10% of their subject areas.
“This growth highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science”
What is CiteScore and how is it measured?
CiteScore metrics are developed by Elsevier as an alternative to the Impact Factor. They measure the citation impact of journals and can be accessed freely on Scopus. The metric represents the yearly average number of citations to recent articles published in a journal. If you’re interested in learning more about citation metrics and how we use them, check out this blog post.
Why is this important?
These results show the growing recognition for, and impact of, MDPI journals across disciplines. CiteScore rankings help researchers, institutions, and funders assess where high-quality work is being published. This growth improves our journals’ positioning in the publishing landscape and highlights our commitment to supporting open, trusted science.
Inside MDPI
Highlights from the MDPI USA Summit in Boston (5–6 June)
With several Summits already behind us, I think this is a good time to reflect on the purpose of these Summits.
Why do we organize MDPI Summits?
These one-and-a-half-day, invite-only gatherings are designed to improve our relationships with Chief Editors who lead our journals and are respected voices in their fields. The Summits aim to:
- Share MDPI’s values, achievements, editorial practices, and local market collaborations.
- Collect feedback on MDPI operations and journal practices.
- Empower Chief Editors to confidently represent MDPI beyond the Summit.
While Chief Editors know their journals well, these events help them better understand MDPI. We want them to be ambassadors for our brand. The aim is for them to walk away informed, engaged, and equipped to share positively about MDPI.
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About the Boston Summit
Held on 5–6 June, our first USA Summit gathered over 25 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in the USA. The program included presentations, Q&A, and a panel discussion.
Agenda Highlights:
Moderated by Summer Huggard (Operations Manager [Toronto], MDPI), the program featured:
- MDPI Overview and USA Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Feichi Lu (Junior Data Scientist, MDPI)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Research Integrity – Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Scientific Communications Lead, MDPI)
- Panel Discussion – Stefan, Feichi, Giulia, Claudia
- Society Partnerships – Dr. Clàudia Aunós (Society Partnerships Senior Manager, MDPI)
- Voice of the Customer and Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)
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MDPI & the USA: Facts and Figures
- With over 216,000 publications, the USA is MDPI’s second-largest contributor after China.
- In 2024, the USA ranked 2nd in total submissions and 2nd in total MDPI publications, with more than 28,200 publications.
- As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from the USA until April 2025 was 352,099.
- As at April 2025, there are more than 12,035 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from the USA, with 55% having an H-index over 26.
- Among them, 96 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 218 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
- MDPI has more than 920 Institutional Open Access Program agreements worldwide, with over 130 from the USA.
A special thanks to our Toronto team, and everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this event run smoothly.
Coming Together for Science
Highlights from the MDPI France Summit in Paris (12–13 June)
We completed our first MDPI France Summit in Paris last week, and it was a special event. Attendees were engaged from beginning to end, remaining after hours to network and collaborate.
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Why a France Summit?
We chose to host a France Summit in view of the recent challenges MDPI has faced with the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). What we took away from the event is that our authors and editors very much appreciate and enjoy working with us, but we need to address the concerns raised by CNRS, around Article Processing Charges (APCs) and the funding of gold open access publications.
“Our authors and editors very much enjoy working with us”
Some of the claims made in the June 2023 interview with Alain Schuhl, the Deputy CEO for Science at the CNRS, are simply not factual. For example, they state that MDPI’s “average APC charges per article are now around the same as Springer Nature’s.” Here is the relevant passage, reproduced verbatim:
This is not accurate.
A recent preprint analysing APC data from Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley, PLOS, MDPI, and Frontiers (2019–2023) shows that MDPI’s average APCs remain significantly lower than those of Springer Nature and several other major publishers.
The MDPI Summits are part of our outreach and communication efforts to address misconceptions and clarify MDPI’s position as one of the most accessible and affordable major gold open access publishers in the world.
Summit Overview
Held on 12–13 June, the France Summit gathered over 20 Chief Editors to learn more about MDPI’s activities and collaborations in France. Many of these editors are influential in their institutions and professional societies. Several also have connections to CNRS, which makes this an important opportunity to clarify how we operate and build trust through open and transparent communication and hopefully turn our editors into informed advocates of MDPI.
Summit Feedback
The feedback has been very positive, with most attendees completing the post-event survey and all rating the experience as Excellent or Good. A few highlights:
- “The whole thing was highly professional and, above all, provided quantified details that will allow us to better answer questions surrounding MDPI.”
- “The summit was an opportunity to meet personally various people directly engaged in the organization and policies of MDPI, which made it possible to clarify some important points concerning publishing with MDPI.”
- “Very well organized! A great opportunity to see all French MDPI partners and editors.”
Program Highlights:
Moderated by Miruna Adelina Nicolcioiu (Senior Conference Producer), the program featured:
- MDPI Overview and France Collaboration – Stefan Tochev (CEO)
- MDPI Editorial Process and Peer-Review Quality – Dr. Marta Colomer (Public Affairs Specialist)
- Institutional Partnerships and Open Access Funding Models – Becky Castellon (Institutional Partnerships Manager)
- AI in Publishing and MDPI's Actions – Daniele Raimondi (Data Scientist)
- Publication Ethics: Global Trends – Diana Cristina Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist)
- Closing Remarks – Stefan Tochev
- Panel Discussion – Diana, Becky, Prof. Dr. Patrick Da Cost, and Stefan
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MDPI & France: Facts and Figures
- With over 51,000 publications, France is MDPI's tenth-largest contributor, and fifth largest among EU countries after Italy, Spain, Germany, and Poland.
- As of 2020, the cumulative number of authors from France until April 2025 was 87,592.
- As at April 2025, there are more than 2,800 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from France, with 59% having an H-index over 26.
- Among them, 22 serve as Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and 61 as section-Editors-in-Chief (SEiC)
- In 2024, IJMS, JCM, and Molecules were the top three MDPI journals in terms of submissions from French-affiliated authors.
Special thanks to our colleagues from Romanian offices for organizing this successful event.
Closing Thoughts
Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller Share the 2024 Tu Youyou Award
As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I’d like to take a moment to recognize the winners of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, presented by our journal Molecules. I am pleased to share that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
I invite you to read the editorial co-authored by the Tu Youyou Award Committee, which highlights the significance of the award and the remarkable impact of the recipients’ research.
A sincere thank-you to the 2024 Award Committee for their dedication and selection process, and congratulations once again to this year’s honourees. Your work exemplifies the kind of research MDPI is proud to support and amplify.
About the Tu Youyou Award For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website. |
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG
27 June 2025
Meet Us Virtually at the 3rd International Online Conference on Agriculture (IOCAG 2025), 22–24 October 2025

We would like to invite you to attend the 3rd International Online Conference on Agriculture (IOCAG 2025), organized by MDPI’s journal Agriculture (ISSN: 2077-0472, Impact Factor: 3.6, CiteScore: 6.3), which will take place from 22 to 24 October 2025.
Conference Chair: Prof. Dr. Bin Gao, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA.
The topics of interest:
S1. Climate-Smart Agriculture: Practices, Determinants, Productivity, and Efficiency;
S2. Ecosystem, Environment, and Climate Change in Agriculture;
S3. Agricultural Systems and Management;
S4. Zero-Pollution Solutions in Crop Protection;
S5. Agricultural Water Management;
S6. Smart Farming: From Sensor to Artificial Intelligence;
S7. Agricultural Soil;
S8. Crop Production;
S9. Farm Animal Production;
S10. From Field to Consumers: Challenges and Approaches to High-Quality Agricultural Products;
S11. Crop Genetics, Genomics, and Breeding.
Important Dates:
Deadline for abstract submission: 18 July 2025;
Notification of acceptance: 18 August 2025;
Registration deadline: 15 October 2025.
Guide for Authors
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1230.
To register for this event, please click on the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCAG2025?section=#registration.
For details regarding abstract submission, poster and slide submission, and publication opportunities, please refer to the “Instructions for Authors” section via the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IOCAG2025?section=#instructions.
For any enquiries regarding the event, please contact iocag2025@mdpi.com.
We look forward to seeing you at IOCAG 2025.
27 June 2025
Agronomy Receives an Updated Impact Factor of 3.4

We are pleased to share that Agronomy was awarded an increased Impact Factor of 3.4 in the 2024 Journal Citation Reports™ released by Clarivate™ in June 2025. Agronomy ranks in in Q1 (21 of 129) in the “Agronomy” category and Q1 (68 of 273) in the “Plant Sciences” category.
The 2024 Journal Impact Factor is calculated by dividing the number of citations received in 2024 to all publications in the journal from 2022 and 2023 by the total number of citable publications from those same years.
To learn more, visit our journal statistics website for detailed metrics or check out our news for general information.
The support and dedication of all the editors, reviewers, authors, and readers are an integral part of the journal’s performance. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have contributed to the journal.
23 June 2025
Interview with Dr. João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro—Winner of the Agronomy Outstanding Reviewer Award

We are pleased to announce that Dr. João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro is one of the winners of the Agronomy 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Award is presented annually to recognize reviewers who contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness while doing so.
We are honored to have had the opportunity to interview Dr. João Everthon Da Silva Ribeiro, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into his research journey and his insights into being a reviewer.
1. Congratulations on being an Outstanding Reviewer for 2024! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and share a bit about your research interests?It is an honor to receive this recognition. I'm João Everthon da Silva Ribeiro, a researcher in the field of plant physiology with a focus on abiotic stresses, especially salinity and water deficit. My main research interests involve the use of biostimulants, growth regulators, and other strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of challenging environments on crops. I have been working on projects with crops of economic importance for semi-arid regions.
2. What factors motivate you to be a reviewer for Agronomy, and what do you find most rewarding about the peer review process?Reviewing for Agronomy is a way to contribute to the quality and integrity of science actively. What motivates me is the possibility of collaborating with the advancement of knowledge and promoting rigor and clarity in scientific communication.
3. As a reviewer, how do you balance the encouragement for research innovation with the strict requirements for method reliability? Can you give an example?Innovation is essential for the progress of science, but it needs to go hand in hand with methodological rigor. I always analyze whether the proposed approach is well-founded, even if it is not conventional. A recent example was a study that used micronutrient nanoparticles in crops under salt stress. Although the proposal was innovative, I suggested adjustments to the experimental controls and statistical analyses to ensure the reproducibility of the results. Originality was maintained but with greater scientific robustness.
4. Based on your rich reviewing experience, could you please share some common problems that authors face?A recurring problem is the fragility of the method descriptions, which compromises reproducibility. In addition, many manuscripts lack critical discussion of the results, being limited to descriptions or superficial comparisons with the literature. The organization of the text and clarity of writing are also aspects that often require attention. I recommend that authors dedicate time to linguistic revision and seek technical support before submission.
5. What are the biggest challenges you face as a reviewer, and what are your tips for preparing a high-quality review report?The main challenge is time: reconciling professional demands with thorough and responsible reading. For a good report, I usually adopt a clear structure, dividing the comments into sections (e.g., Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods) and distinguishing between major and minor points. I also strive to be constructive, offering practical suggestions and providing relevant references. The goal is always to contribute to the improvement of the work rather than just pointing out flaws.
6. We hope that the Outstanding Reviewer Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an award like this help to support the career of a researcher such as yourself?This type of recognition strengthens our academic performance and values the often silent work of peer review. It enhances professional visibility and can open doors to collaborations and invitations to editorial committees. In addition, it serves as motivation to continue exercising this activity with responsibility and dedication.
7. Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support researchers and the academic community?Agronomy already stands out for its transparency and editorial agility. As a suggestion, training initiatives for authors and reviewers—such as webinars or mini-guides on good practices—would be welcome, especially for early-career researchers. I also believe that the promotion of special thematic issues can stimulate dialogue between research groups and strengthen emerging areas of research.
20 June 2025
Agronomy Young Investigator Award—Open for Nominations

The Agronomy Young Investigator Award was established in 2019 to acknowledge the achievements of young investigators in the field of agronomy and agroecology. Nominations are accepted from May to December each year, with the winner notified by the end of March the following year.
Prizes:
- CHF 2000;
- An electronic certificate;
- A voucher to fully cover applicable article processing charges (valid for one year).
Number of Winners: 1.
Eligibility and requirements:
- The candidate must have received their Ph.D. no more than 10 years prior to 31 December 2025;
- The candidate must have produced ground-breaking research and made a significant contribution to the advancement of sustainability and sustainable development;
- Candidates must be nominated by senior scientists.
List of documents for nomination:
- A detailed curriculum vitae, including an updated publication list and a list of the researcher’s own research grants;
- A scanned copy of the candidate’s doctorate certificate;
- Signed nomination letters from two established senior scientists.
Schedule:
Nomination deadline: 31 December 2025;
Winner announcement: 31 March 2026.
How to submit nominations:
The nominations must be submitted online at https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/awards/submit/3403.
Please do not hesitate to contact us at agronomy@mdpi.com if you have any questions. We look forward to receiving your nominations.
Agronomy Editorial Office
20 June 2025
Agronomy Travel Award—Open for Applications

We are pleased to announce that Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) will be once again granting the Travel Award for junior scientists. The applications will be assessed by an Evaluation Committee consisting of senior scholars from the Agronomy Editorial Board.
The annual Agronomy Travel Award was launched in 2017 to encourage junior scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences in the field of agronomy and agroecology, expanding their profile. The application process is open from April to October every year, and the winners are announced by the end of December.
Prizes:
- CHF 500;
- A certificate.
Number of winners: 2.
Eligibility and requirements:
- Postdoctoral fellows or Ph.D. students;
- Plans to attend an international conference in 2026 (oral presentation or poster).
List of the documents needed to apply:
- Information regarding the conference the applicant is planning to attend and the abstract that will be submitted;
- Curriculum Vitae and list of publications;
- Justification letter describing the focus of the research (max. 800 words);
- Letter of recommendation from the supervisor, research director, or department head, which also confirms the applicant’s status.
For more information about the award, please visit the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/awards/3404.
Agronomy Editorial Office
20 June 2025
Interview with Dr. Fernando França Cunha—One of the Winners of the Agronomy Outstanding Reviewer Award

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Fernando França Cunha is one of the winners of the Agronomy 2024 Outstanding Reviewer Award. The Award is presented annually to recognize reviewers who contribute their time to reviewing papers and display thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness while doing so.
We are honored to have had the opportunity to interview Dr. Fernando França Cunha, providing an opportunity to delve deeper into his research journey and his insights into being a reviewer.
1. Congratulations on being an Outstanding Reviewer for 2024! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and share a bit about your research interests?
I hold a bachelor’s degree in agronomy (2003), a master's degree (2005), and a Ph.D. (2009) in agricultural engineering from the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Brazil. I am currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Engineering (DEA) at UFV, where I teach undergraduate and graduate courses. I am an active member of the Graduate Program in agricultural engineering (PPGEA), advising both master's and doctoral students. My research focuses on irrigation management and engineering, with an emphasis on efficient water use in agriculture, fertigation, water and energy sustainability, and the application of technologies such as sensors, modeling, and alternative materials in irrigation systems.
2. What factors motivate you to be a reviewer for Agronomy, and what do you find most rewarding about the peer review process?
Serving as a reviewer for Agronomy is a way of contributing to the advancement of scientific knowledge by helping to ensure the quality of published research. Since many reviewers also contribute by evaluating my manuscripts, I feel I have to give back to the scientific community by actively participating in the review process. Moreover, I consider this activity an excellent learning opportunity. Reading submitted manuscripts carefully motivates me to conduct further research and reading, which broadens my knowledge. As a native speaker of Portuguese, I also see peer review as a valuable opportunity to improve my use of English, the predominant language in scientific communication. What I find most rewarding is realizing that through constructive and well-founded suggestions, it is possible to substantially improve the clarity, methodological robustness, and relevance of a manuscript, thereby contributing ethically and meaningfully to the advancement of science.
3. As a reviewer, how do you balance the encouragement for research innovation with the strict requirements for method reliability? Can you give an example?
I believe that innovation and methodological rigor must go hand in hand. An innovative idea only has real scientific value if it is supported by a robust, well-described, and replicable method. When reviewing a manuscript, I try to identify whether the study provides an original and relevant contribution to the field, while also carefully evaluating whether the experimental procedures are well-controlled, the variables appropriately monitored, and the data able to support the conclusions drawn. For instance, in a recent review of a study on the use of ozone in irrigation water, an innovative approach, I recognized the potential of the topic but highlighted the need for clearer methodological descriptions and stricter control of variables such as ozone concentration, exposure time, and the physicochemical characteristics of the water to ensure result reliability. Additionally, I consider it important how authors contextualize their innovation. Excessive self-citation, for example, may suggest a weak theoretical foundation or an attempt to overvalue their work, which can bias scientific analysis. I encourage authors to use diverse, updated, and high-quality references from different research groups to enhance the credibility of their work and demonstrate genuine integration into the scientific community.
4. Based on your rich reviewing experience, could you please share some common problems that authors face?
The most frequent issues I observe are related to the structure and scientific consistency of the manuscripts. It is common to find poorly developed introductions that lack a clear focus or compelling justification for the problem addressed, and that fail to formulate specific hypotheses. Another critical point is the insufficient methodological description, which compromises the reproducibility of the study. Limited discussions are also frequent, where authors merely compare their results to other studies without adequately interpreting their data. Furthermore, conclusions often do not respond to the objectives outlined at the beginning of the work or lack sufficient depth. Formal issues also stand out, such as poor graphic presentation of figures and tables, the use of outdated or low-quality references, and inadequate or redundant titles and keywords, which can impair the visibility and indexing of the article in scientific databases. Paying greater attention to these aspects can significantly improve the quality and impact of the publications.
5. What are the biggest challenges you face as a reviewer, and what are your tips for preparing a high-quality review report?
One of the greatest challenges I face as a reviewer is time constraints. As a university professor, I divide my time between teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, advising students, participating in extension activities, conducting research, and handling administrative duties. Producing a high-quality review requires dedication, careful reading, and critical analysis of the entire manuscript, all of which takes time. Only after a thorough reading is it possible to fully understand the study and accurately identify its strengths, methodological flaws, gaps in reasoning, or opportunities for improvement. Another challenge is maintaining a balance between rigorous criticism and a constructive tone. A good review should not only point out problems but also offer feasible suggestions for improvement. To achieve this, I usually organize my reviews by sections (such as title, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusions), highlighting positive aspects and identifying the points that need improvement, always with technical justification. My advice is that reviewers should strive to be objective, consistent, and respectful. A good review contributes to the development of the manuscript and, consequently, to the advancement of science. It is also important to remember that the reviewer’s role is not merely to judge but to collaborate with authors in building a more robust and relevant scientific work.
6. We hope that the Outstanding Reviewer Award will open new opportunities for you. How does an award like this help to support the career of a researcher such as yourself?
Receiving the Outstanding Reviewer Award is a great source of joy and reinforces my sense of meaningfully contributing to science. This recognition boosts my self-esteem and motivates me to continue working with dedication and integrity in the evaluation of scientific manuscripts. It also confirms that I am on the right path and strengthens my commitment to research quality and academic integrity. Awards like this have a direct impact on an academic career, as they enhance the researcher’s visibility within the scientific community, reinforce their credibility, and open doors to new opportunities such as international collaborations, invitations to join editorial boards, and participation in broader research networks. Without a doubt, it is a valuable incentive to continue contributing actively to the advancement of scientific knowledge.
7. Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support researchers and the academic community?
Agronomy already plays an important role in promoting high-quality science and in recognizing the efforts of its reviewers, such as through the voucher system, which I consider an excellent initiative. However, as a professor in a developing country, one of the greatest challenges I face is the limited availability of resources, both for conducting research and for covering publication fees. In this context, expanding financial support policies for authors from developing countries, through progressive discounts or waivers based on scientific quality, would be a major contribution. Furthermore, I believe Agronomy could expand its initiative by promoting more special thematic issues with open calls, encouraging review articles by invited authors, and offering short, targeted training for new reviewers. Creating discussion forums or webinars focused on emerging topics could also strengthen interactions among authors, reviewers, and editors, thereby enhancing the journal's impact and fostering integration within the scientific community.
19 June 2025
Recruiting Early Career Editorial Board Members for Agronomy

In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395), promote the academic exchange of young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Agronomy is inviting interested and eligible early career researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.
A total of 25 Early Career Editorial Board Members are planned to be recruited. Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) members will hold the position for two years with the possibility of renewal for a second term.
Application eligibility:
- Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
- Evidence of significant research achievements in the field of agronomy;
- Willingness to dedicate their time to the development of the journal with passion and enthusiasm;
- Researchers that are active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).
Benefits of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:
- A certificate of appointment as an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be provided;
- The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members are publicized on journal media platforms to improve academic visibility;
- An opportunity to be promoted to Editorial Board Member based on contributions;
- The journal will regularly acknowledge those who participated in the peer-review process on the journal website;
- Opportunities to participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board Members.
Responsibilities of an Early Career Editorial Board Member:
- Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among peers;
- Selecting high-quality articles and preparing bilingual media content for promotion;
- Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
- Providing input on any new initiatives of journal development;
- Inviting submissions from local and overseas world-leading scientists in respective research fields.
Applications:
Please fill in the application form here.
Please send the application form and your academic resume to agronomy@mdpi.com with the subject of “Agronomy Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.
Application deadline: 31 December 2025.
Selection process and announcement:
The selection process: initial screening of application materials → selection by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.
The selection will be made within two months of the application deadline, and the results will be announced on the journal website.
11 June 2025
Agronomy Receives an Increased CiteScore of 6.7

We are pleased to share that Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395) has received an increased CiteScore of 6.7 in June 2025. The CiteScore ranks the journal 66 out of 414 titles (Q1) in the “Agronomy and Crop Science” category, an impressive achievement for a journal running in Volume 15.
You can find more statistics on our website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/stats.
The current CiteScores measure the average number of citations within a journal over a four-year window (2021–2024). The Scopus database provides a comprehensive suite of metrics that support informed publishing strategies, research evaluation and enable benchmarking of journal performance.
This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editors. Together we will continue to track the progress of Agronomy and its growing impact in the “Agronomy and Crop Science” category.