Announcements

The editorial team at Agronomy extends our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated reviewers whose expertise and commitment have been key to the journal’s success in 2024. Last year, Agronomy received 16,914 review reports from 6610 reviewers representing 116 countries and regions worldwide.

To recognize the invaluable time, effort, and attention to detail that each reviewer dedicates, Agronomy expresses its sincere gratitude through an annual acknowledgment of reviewers. As a further token of appreciation, all reviewers are eligible for the Outstanding Reviewer Award, which honors their essential role in enhancing the quality of our publications.

We are honored to recognize the reviewers who allowed us to publish their names each year. The names of these reviewers are listed below in alphabetical order by first name:

Nine new journals covering multiple subjects launched their inaugural issues in December 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all of the Editorial Board Members, and each journal will ensure its high-quality output by using excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal	Founding Editor-in-Chief	Journal Topics (Selected)
	Prof. Dr. Zhaoyang Dong City University of Hong Kong, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	energy storage technologies; energy storage system management; energy storage applications; strategies in renewable energy generation grid integration; distributed storage systems; economics and markets for energy storage View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Yang-Hui He 1. London Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Royal Institution, UK 2. University of Oxford, UK Editorial | View inaugural issue	Euclidean geometry; differential geometry; algebraic geometry; complex geometry; discrete geometry; computational geometry; geometric group theory;  convex geometry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Michel Planat Université de Franche-Comté, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	differential topology; algebraic topology; manifold topology; homology theory; low-dimensional topology; fuzzy sets View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Rashid Al Abri 1. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman 2. Oman Medical Association, Oman Editorial | View inaugural issue	clinical practices as well as research and innovation in medical education, risk management in healthcare, and patient safety View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili* New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA *Prof. Dr. Ecevit Bilgili passed away before the completion of the inaugural issue. His dedication and vision for JPBI will always be remembered and serve as a guiding inspiration. Editorial | View inaugural issue	early drug discovery and development; product characterization and pre-clinical testing; drug delivery systems and drug design; active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Weiyong Liu Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	theories, methodologies, technologies, and applications in the fields of laboratory medicine and clinical chemistry View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar University of Granada, Spain Editorial | View inaugural issue	scientometrics; informetrics; bibliometrics; altmetrics; webometrics; research evaluation View journal scope | Submit an article
	Prof. Dr. Fei Fan Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China Editorial | View inaugural issue	regional growth theory and methods; regional system modeling and optimization; regional development policy; regional spatial evolution; environmental policy and instrument choice View journal scope | Submit an article
	Dr. Kevin Cianfaglione Université Catholique de Lille, France Editorial | View inaugural issue	wild species and their habitats; wild environments and biodiversity; natural environment management; wild land preservation View journal scope | Submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

On 19 November 2024, we had the privilege of visiting our former Editor-in-Chief and current Section Editor-in-Chief of Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395), Prof. Dr. Peter Langridge. Serving as Editor-in-Chief for over 12 years, Prof. Dr. Langridge expressed his gratitude for the support and dedication of the journal’s editorial team. During his tenure, he made an exceptional 437 decisions as an Editorial Board Member and Guest Editor, leaving a lasting impact on the journal’s development. We are deeply grateful for his invaluable contributions, which have significantly shaped the journal’s success and reputation. Reflecting on his experience, Prof. Dr. Langridge shared his thoughts on the journal’s evolution, scientific research, and the future of agronomy.

The following is a short interview with Prof. Dr. Peter Langridge:

1. Among your many professional roles, which do you find the most significant and fulfilling?
My work with Ph.D. students has been the most fulfilling aspect of my career. I have supervised about 70 students, many of whom have gone on to take up significant roles worldwide. The close, collaborative relationships we developed over 3–4 years were incredibly rewarding. I often feel like I have learnt as much from them as they have learnt from me. Even though I no longer have students since retiring as a professor, I still stay in touch with many of them. Those relationships are lifelong.

2. How do you maintain a balance between research commitments and personal life?
Balancing work and personal life isn’t always straightforward—it fluctuates. There are intense periods where research demands all your attention, followed by quieter times. Personally, I relax by spending time outdoors. I’m lucky to have a large garden with a vineyard, 200 fruit trees, and chickens. Gardening, building, or simply being outdoors helps me recharge. I’ve also learned the importance of setting realistic expectations and taking the time to recover after demanding phases.

3. Scientific research can be a source of considerable stress, affecting not only graduate students but also their mentors. What advice do you have for managing stress in scientific research?
I don’t find research itself stressful—it’s something I’ve always enjoyed. My advice is to approach every experiment with optimism, believing it will work. Of course, failures are inevitable, but they are also opportunities to learn. The key is to stay enthusiastic, even when things don’t go as planned. There is always another experiment to try or a different angle to explore. Staying calm and focused has always helped me navigate challenges.

4. Could you discuss individuals or experiences that have significantly influenced your research career?
I've had the privilege of working with many excellent individuals throughout my career. Many of my students were involved in crop breeding and genetics. A significant number of them were part-time breeders while also working with me. In their projects, they worked on both the theoretical aspects of breeding and the underlying principles, while simultaneously engaging in practical breeding.
Interacting with these students, who had real-world experience with practical issues, was immensely rewarding. They could describe the challenges they were tackling, and together, we would work on finding scientific solutions to address them. This hands-on approach has been invaluable.
I was fortunate to have an exceptional supervisor during my Ph.D., whose influence has had a lasting impact on me. Afterward, I had the opportunity to do a postdoc in Germany, where my supervisor was equally outstanding. He gave me the freedom to explore my own ideas but was always available for discussions. Every day, we would sit together for about an hour to talk about science and related topics, which greatly enriched my research experience.
When I moved to Adelaide after my postdoc, I had the chance to work with excellent mentors. I transitioned from theoretical biology to a more applied approach in the agriculture faculty. This shift provided me with my first direct exposure to the practical aspects of plant science. I vividly remember attending morning teas, where the wheat breeder would bring in a dead plant and ask, “What do you think happened to this plant?”. The pathologist would analyze the diseases present, and a lively discussion would unfold about the issues at hand. It was a fantastic environment where basic science and knowledge could be directly applied to solve real-world problems.

5. In your view, what are the essential components of a high-quality research paper? Is it primarily the result of groundbreaking research with substantial scientific merit, or does it hinge on well-conceived ideas and proficient writing?
There are different types of researchers out there. There are those who make breakthrough advances, which are major contributions to the field. However, these are relatively rare. Most publications do not necessarily have an outstanding component; it really depends on what you're trying to achieve. In applied areas, demonstrating a new application of a technology or tool can be incredibly valuable, especially if it has not been used in that way before.
I think we often underestimate the importance of incremental work and data collection. While these contributions may not lead to major publications, they still provide valuable information and material for others to work with.
The most exciting papers, in my view, are often the interpretive ones. These are the papers where researchers may not have used their own data but instead analyze and interpret existing data in new ways, offering fresh perspectives on how to view a topic.
When it comes to getting papers accepted by journals, it's a different issue. You need to consider what reviewers will be looking for. The paper needs to be clear, well-explained, and well-written. I've seen a huge difference between those who take the time to carefully wordsmith their papers—going through the process of making the language clear and precise. The clarity is important, but sometimes, if the writing is too stark, it becomes boring. There needs to be enough engagement to keep the reader interested, and the structure of the paper plays a big role in that.

6. Over the past 14 years, what notable transformations or advancements have occurred in the field of crop genetic breeding? What guidance would you offer to emerging scientists in this area?
It is always difficult to pinpoint exactly when things change, but it often feels like progress has accelerated in recent years, although change probably has always been happening at a relatively fast pace.
One of the biggest changes has been the shift in research priorities due to climate change. Food production is under immense pressure, and research is increasingly focused on addressing these challenges. Another significant development is the move from focusing solely on single commodities to understanding how crops fit into the broader agricultural systems—like crop rotations and multiple cropping.
Advances in genomics have also been transformative, with tools like genomic selection and gene editing starting to make a big impact. For new researchers, it’s an exciting but challenging time. The expectations are higher, and there are incredible tools and platforms available now, from advanced phenotyping systems to computational resources for data analysis. But with these opportunities come with the need to think differently.
For instance, instead of just improving the resilience of existing crops, we should ask if those crops are still suitable for certain areas. Maybe it’s time to explore alternatives better suited to the changing conditions. It’s about questioning the status quo and being bold enough to pursue new approaches.

7. What role do academic journals play in scientific communication?
It’s still our main mechanism for disseminating knowledge in science. If anything, it has become much more efficient now due to the advance of search engines. In the past, I would spend time each week in the library, going through resources like Current Contents, which contained tables of contents from various journals. I would go through them, request copies of papers, or even photocopy them myself. I had a large filing cabinet to store all the publications I’d photocopied, and when writing a paper, I’d have to go back to those files. Now, I don’t bother with any of that. I simply search online, find the papers, read them on the internet, and use them directly. This has been a huge change, and it’s made science much more accessible.
However, the increased accessibility of information also comes with its challenges. There is an overabundance of published material now, with so many journals proliferating that it’s become a problem. Researchers have to be more selective and smarter about which journals they choose to engage with.
I recently gave a talk to early career researchers, and one point I emphasized was the importance of understanding the literature. There’s a tendency to overlook older publications, and this can lead to problems. A lot of solid foundational science from the 1950s or 1960s is often ignored by younger researchers, who typically don’t go back that far in their literature searches. The issue is further compounded by the reliance on secondary sources, where older publications are cited, but often inaccurately. There have been several instances where a paper is cited, but upon checking, it’s clear that the citation is incorrect or misinterpreted.
Understanding the history of your field is crucial, even if it means going back many years. And many of these older papers may not be easily accessible anymore, which is another challenge.

8. What advice would you give to the next generation of agronomy researchers who may be considering publishing in Agronomy or other MDPI journals?
I was drawn to Agronomy because of its broad view of the field. Over time, there had been a separation between genetics and crop improvement on one side, and agronomy, which focused on the application and management of farming systems, on the other. When the Agronomy journal started, I was eager to see a publication that returned to the true definition of agronomy—encompassing the entire production system. This includes crop improvement, crop management, and how these aspects are integrated with environmental changes. I believe this remains a crucial focus, and one of the most important aspects of agronomy today.

From left to right: Dr. Amy Cham, Prof. Dr. Peter Langridge, Dr. Colin Wee

More than 100 German universities and research institutions have entered into a national agreement with MDPI. The publication agreement negotiated by ZB MED comes into effect on 1 January 2025 and is valid until the end of 2026. Joining the consortium is still possible until the beginning of 2025. We are delighted by the high level of interest this agreement has already garnered, reflecting the strong demand for accessible and cost-effective open access publishing solutions among German research institutions.

This new cooperation aims to make scientific gold open access publishing more affordable and less administratively burdensome for researchers in Germany. The agreement includes substantial discounts on article processing charges (APCs) for corresponding authors from participating institutions. It offers flexible payment options, including centralized invoicing or individual payment of fees by researchers or their institutions. Additionally, the agreement features a flat-fee model that enables institutions to precisely plan expenses and optimize their library budgets.

"MDPI can look back on over a decade of successful partnerships with German research institutions," says Peter Roth, MDPI Head of Publishing. "The new agreement marks another milestone in the long-standing co-operation between MDPI and the German scientific community. It emphasizes our commitment to developing up-to-date and inventive solutions for the diverse needs of scientific institutions to promote open research for the benefit of researchers."

Petra Labriga, Head of Strategic License Management at ZB MED, highlighted the agreement's significance: "As one of the world's leading Gold OA publishers, MDPI plays a central role in the German publishing landscape. We are particularly pleased that we were able to achieve considerable potential cost savings for scientific institutions and their authors at a national level through our negotiations."

The partnership reflects a common goal of advancing the idea of open access and supporting researchers in making their scientific excellence internationally visible.

"We would like to thank the ZB MED consortium team for their excellent collaboration," added Adrian Stefan Zamfir, MDPI Institutional Partnership Manager for the DACH region. "We are delighted that this agreement will give even more researchers in Germany access to our tried-and-tested and reliable publication platform."

Franziska Fischer (right), Commercial Director at ZB MED, an Peter Roth (left), Head of Publishing at MDPI, celebrate the signing of the new national open access agreement between MDPI and the ZB MED Consortium.

More Information

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Contact

• ZB MED: Team Konsortiallizenzen ([email protected]) - Website
  MDPI: Adrian Stefan Zamfir, Institutional Partnership Manager ([email protected])
  
  

About ZB MED

ZB MED - Information Centre for Life Sciences is an infrastructure and research centre for life science information and data. Its aim is to support and strengthen research for people and the environment: from medicine to biodiversity and environmental protection.

The work of ZB MED is orientated towards the strategic guidelines:

• Research + Networking: We conduct research together with the regionally, nationally, European and globally networked research community.
• Data science: We enable data analyses and generate new knowledge through research.
• Access to information: We provide sustainable access to information, literature and data as a central information infrastructure.
• Open + FAIR: We promote open and reproducible science in line with open science and FAIR principles.
• Knowledge and skills transfer: We actively impart knowledge, competences and skills.

More information at www.zbmed.de.

About MDPI

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI is one of the world's leading open access publishers with a current portfolio of more than 440 journals in all scientific disciplines. MDPI‘s goal is to advance open science worldwide through greater transparency, efficiency and collaboration. To date, more than 3.7 million researchers have published their results in MDPI journals. The editorial process is overseen by a large network of dedicated reviewers and editors and supported by more than 6500 MDPI employees. MDPI currently works with over 800 academic institutions and 180 scientific societies worldwide, which benefit from a wide range of MDPI services and products.

We are pleased to announce a series of updates to our template, aimed at improving the readability and overall aesthetics of our publications. These changes have been meticulously designed to enhance the user experience and ensure consistency across all our publications. The updated template will be available for download from the Instructions for Authors page.

The following updates will be applied to articles published in the 2025 volumes, starting on 24 December 2024:

• Main text: The line spacing has been increased to improve the readability of publications;
• Header and footer: The link to the journal website will be removed, as a hyperlink has been integrated into the journal logo. Additionally, the DOI link will be moved from the left-hand side to the right-hand side, and both the header and footer will be slightly raised to achieve a better balance;
• Left information bar: The information provided here has been rearranged for better organization; the CC-BY logo will be removed;
• Font size: The font size used for the abstract, keywords, and first-level headings will be increased.

Furthermore, MDPI journals will continue to use article numbers. This approach enables us to maintain a rapid and efficient production process by being able to define pagination as soon as a paper is accepted.

We hope that the new version of the template will provide users with a better experience and make the process more convenient.

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or suggestions.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 685 Editorial Board Members of our journals – from 39 different countries and territories – who have been recognized as Highly Cited Researchers for 2024 by Clarivate. This distinction highlights their exceptional scientific achievements and significant contributions, which transcend academic boundaries to advance global knowledge, sustainability, security, and well-being.

Clarivate's annual Highly Cited Researcher™ list identifies the most influential scientists of the past decade, whose work has had a profound and widespread impact across various scientific and social science disciplines. Their impactful papers rank among the top 1% by citations in one or more of the 21 fields analyzed within the "Essential Science Indicators," marking them as leaders in their respective domains.

"Highly Cited Researchers have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research," according to Clarivate. In 2024, a total of 6,886 Highly Cited Researcher designations were awarded to 6,636 individuals.

The following is a list of MDPI's Editorial Board Members named Highly Cited Researchers in 2024. We congratulate them for their achievement and their contributions to advancing knowledge in their respective fields.

We are thrilled to welcome you to join the upcoming 4th International Electronic Conference on Agronomy (IECAG 2024) from 2 to 5 December 2024, proudly sponsored by the MDPI open access journal Agronomy (ISSN: 2073-4395).

It will be a 4-day, 7-session e-conference, with speakers from 25 countries, 1 plenary, 14 keynote speakers, 5 invited speakers, and 39 selected talks. So far, 184 abstracts have been accepted, and more than 600 registrations have been made. Zoom links will be available from 27 November 2024.

In line with our commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange, this electronic conference will provide a unique platform for researchers to showcase their work, discuss groundbreaking findings, and engage in meaningful conversations with fellow experts.

More information can be found at: https://sciforum.net/event/IECAG2024?subscribe&section=#program_overview.

Conference Overview: This virtual conference will be held at www.sciforum.net, a platform developed and sponsored by MDPI to organize and provide technical support for electronic conferences. The virtual format offers the distinct advantage of eliminating the need for travel and its associated expenses, allowing broad participation without any logistical constraints.

Chair and Session Chairs:

Program Overview:

Sessions:

S1. Crops;
S2. Breeding/Selection Technologies and Strategies;
S3. Sustainable Soil Management and Farming Systems;
S4. Precision and Digital Agriculture;
S5. Biostimulation and Biocontrol Microbial-Based Strategies;
S6. Plant–Crop Biology and Biochemistry;
S7. Water Use and Irrigation.

Free-of-Charge Participation: We are pleased to inform you that participation in this conference is entirely free of charge for both authors and attendees. The accepted proceedings papers will likely be published in the MDPI Biology and Life Sciences Forum journal, available online on the MDPI website. Selected extended versions of the papers will be published in a Special Issue of the journal Agronomy with a 15% discount on the article processing charge.

Awards and Opportunities: The best oral presentation and best poster awards will receive an award of CHF 200, along with an offer to publish an extended paper in the Special Issue of Agronomy.

We encourage you to explore the conference platform and guidelines provided in advance for a smooth experience. Our dedicated support team is available should you have any queries or require assistance.

We look forward to engaging in exciting discussions and hearing new ideas and perspectives from experts in the field. All participants are welcome to join the online conference and contribute to the vibrant intellectual exchange that makes events like IECAG 2024 exceptional.

We are honored to announce that Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn will serve as the Chair of the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee.

Name: Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn
Affiliation: College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, USA

Prof. Dr. Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.

The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee, under Prof. Dr. Kinghorn's guidance, will focus on identifying innovative research in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. The committee will aim to identify groundbreaking work with the potential to lead to significant advancements in these areas.

We are confident that, with Prof. Dr. Kinghorn at the helm, the 2024 Tu Youyou Award will continue to inspire excellence and innovation in the related fields.

About the Tu Youyou Award
Established in 2016, the Tu Youyou Award seeks to honor those who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. This award offers a total prize of CHF 100,000, which will be equally divided among the winners if there is more than one, with each recipient receiving an award medal.

The 2024 Tu Youyou Award remains open for nominations until 31 December 2024. We encourage all eligible candidates to participate in this prestigious recognition, as this award not only honors individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exchange, exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

If you are interested in participating, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website for more information on the nomination requirements.