Authors submitting to a special issue should review the thematic scope and follow JPA submission standards. Special issues follow the same peer review and production workflow as regular submissions.

• Confirm scope fit with the special issue theme
• Prepare data and code availability statements
• Document field zones, crop varieties, and management treatments
• Ensure figures and tables are publication ready
• Prepare a cover letter referencing the special issue
• Special issues may include field campaigns, multi site trials, or technology validation studies.
• Guest editors should outline expected datasets and metadata standards.
• Encourage authors to coordinate sampling windows and data formats.
• Consider including synthesis papers that translate findings for practitioners.
• Highlight cross disciplinary collaborations between agronomy, engineering, and data science.

Clearly indicate the special issue title in the cover letter and manuscript metadata. This helps editors route the submission to the correct guest editor team.

All special issue submissions undergo initial screening for scope fit, ethical compliance, and data transparency. Submissions that do not align with the theme may be redirected to the regular journal track.

JPA is committed to rigorous, transparent publishing in precision agriculture and digital farming. We emphasize reproducible field trials, clear reporting of agronomic outcomes, and ethical compliance across all article types.

The editorial office supports authors, editors, and reviewers with clear guidance and responsive communication. For questions about scope or workflow, contact [email protected].

We encourage continuous improvement in reporting practices and share updates that help the community maintain high standards in agricultural data science, field validation, and technology transfer.