Plants Exceptional Reviewers List 2026

We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2026. This program was established to recognize and honor scholars who have consistently delivered exceptional review reports to our journal. Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Plants (ISSN 2223-7747) acknowledges the vital role our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to surveys conducted in 2025, 93% of our authors rated the peer review process as good or excellent, reflecting the strength and effectiveness of our reviewer community.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Plants’ peer-review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in April 2024. Each quarter, we will be selecting a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Q3:
Name: Dr. Agnieszka Sękara
Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 29-Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, Poland
Interests: plant eco-physiology; biotic and abiotic stresses; biofortification and biostimulation of horticultural crops and cultivated mushrooms; functional food

Name: Dr. Antônio Teixeira do Amaral Junior
Affiliation: Laboratory of Genetics and Breeding (LMGV), North Fluminense State University (UENF), Av. Alberto Lamego, 2.000 – Parque Califórnia Campos dos Goytacazes CEP: 28013-602, RJ, Brazil
Interests: breeding science; proteomic; hybrid seed production; quantitative genetics; marker assisted selection

Name: Prof. Giampiero Cai
Affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
Interests: cytoskeleton; cell wall; organelle movement; cell morphogenesis; plant reproduction; abiotic stress
“Above all, I believe that being a reviewer is an integral part of our work and that it must be carried out in the best possible way. This means respecting both the authors and the editors by producing reviews that are as accurate as possible, while at the same time respecting deadlines, which guarantees promptness for both the authors and the journal.
I am very happy with the review work I do for various journals because, for me, it is also a personal enrichment in addition to a service. I believe it is a duty that must be performed to increase the quality of research and, consequently, the advancement of science. I believe that being a reviewer is just as important as being an author.
I remain convinced that the role of reviewers should be valued more. It is something important because it is still needed for internal evaluation, and thus serves as a guarantee of reliability and respect for the work carried out by the various authors.”

Name: Prof. Lixin Zhang
Affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, 712100, China
Interests: plant nutrition & stress physiology and molecular biology & biological mechanism of fruit fertilization and irrigation
“Reviewing for Plants is a rewarding way to support rigorous crop science and empower authors worldwide with constructive feedback.”

Name: Prof. Dragana Bozic
Affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Zemun, Serbia
Interests: weed; herbicide; gene flow; invasive weeds; integrated weed management; AI in weed science; alelopathy
“The experience of reviewing for the journal Plants significantly contributed to my professional development, provided new knowledge and ideas for my own research, and broadened my research perspectives.”

Q2:
Name: Prof. María Pérez-Fernández
Affiliation: Ecology Area, Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Avenida Rectora Rosario Valpuesta, 1, ES-41089 Dos Hermanas, Seville, Spain.
Interests: soil microorganisms; nutrient cycling; land restoration; plant growth promoters; germination ecology; sustainability

Name: Dr. Miroslava Rakocevic
Affiliation: Plant Physiology Department, LMGV, Agricultural Science and Technology Center, State University of North Fluminense, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, RJ, Brazil
Interests: plant physiology; plant biology; plant ecology; plant architecture; abiotic stress

Name: Prof. Angel Llamas
Affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Campus de Rabanales y, Campus Internacional de Excelencia Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Edif. Severo Ochoa, Universidad de Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: chlamydomonas; methylobacterium; nitrogen; nitrate; molybdenum; mutualism; nitric oxide; nitrious oxide; microalgae

Name: Prof. Yu-Chung Chiang
Affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 80424, Taiwan
Interests: plant genetics; population genetics; molecular evolution; phylogeography; conservation genetics
“I consider peer review an important responsibility, helping improve scientific rigor, clarity, and fairness while supporting constructive scholarly communication.”

Name: Prof. Agnieszka I. Piotrowicz-Cieślak
Affiliation: Department of Plant Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: legume seed quality; seed carbohydrates; seed proteome; long-term storage; microbiom of plants
“Reviewing is an opportunity to support scientific excellence, promote constructive dialogue, and contribute to the advancement of high-quality research.”

Q1:
Name: Prof. Vyacheslav Dushenkov
Affiliation: Department of Natural Sciences, Hostos Community College, CUNY, Bronx, NY, USA
Interests: ecology; evolutionary biology; botanical therapeutics; phytoremediation

Name: Dr. Ricardo Alcántara-de la Cruz
Affiliation: Department of Agronomy, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa 36570-900, Brazil
Interests: herbicide cross resistance; herbicide multiple resistance; herbicides; weeds; CytP450; GST; resistant mechanisms
“My experience as a reviewer has been consistently positive, as authors generally understand and adopt my comments. Regardless of the journal, I strive to provide objective, constructive, and impartial evaluations.”

Name: Dr. Karolina Grabowska
Affiliation: Chair of Pharmacognosy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
Interests: saponins; polyphenols; triterpenes; phytochemical analysis isolation; structure elucidation; quantification of plant metabolites; Amaranthaceae; Chenopodiaceae
“I truly value the opportunity to participate in the peer-review process. Reviewing manuscripts has been a very rewarding experience, allowing me to engage with emerging research, contribute to maintaining scientific quality, and further develop my critical evaluation skills. At the same time, it is also a process of discovering different perspectives that authors bring to similar research questions, creating space for constructive discussion and ultimately contributing to the pursuit of scientific truth.”

Name: Prof. Carlos Lara
Affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Km 10.5 Autopista Tlaxcala-San Martín Texmelucan, San Felipe Ixtacuixtla 90120, Tlaxcala, Mexico
Interests: ecology; behavioral ecology; ecology and evolution; biodiversity
“Rigorous peer review strengthens science. I aim to provide constructive feedback that helps authors improve their work while maintaining high standards for ecological research.”

Name: Dr. Bożena Szewczyk-Taranek
Affiliation: Department of Ornamental Plants and Garden Art, Faculty of Horticulture and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
Interests: ornamental plants; micropropagation; cryopreservation; plants quality assessment; therapeutic horticulture; landscape plant utilization
“As a specialist in ornamental plants and horticulture, I value contributing to the rigorous evaluation and advancement of high-quality research in plant sciences.”