REVISTA DE CIENCIAS AGRÍCOLAS
GUIDELINES: For authors
Table of contents
Founded in 1969, the Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas serves as a platform for disseminating scientific and technological research. It is recognized both nationally and internationally for publishing original articles in English focusing on topics related to agricultural sciences. The journal is published quarterly. These articles present research findings in various areas, including agriculture, agroforestry, forestry, farming and food, biotechnology, and environmental topics. The journal welcomes high-quality contributions offering insights into subjects relevant to advancing knowledge in agricultural sciences. The journal complies with open-access requirements and operates under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) from the date of the articles' first online publication.
The Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas covers a broad range of topics related to agricultural sciences, including but not limited to the following areas:
The Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas accepts the following types of articles:
Research Article. These articles present the results of research projects related to the topics covered by the journal in detail (see Aims and scope). Research articles must be based on rigorous, high-quality studies and contribute valuable, original insights with a broad impact on the scientific and academic communities. The structure must include the following: Title, abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, acknowledgments, and references. Word count: 5,000–6,000 words (excluding references).
Review Article. This article is based on a thorough and critical review and makes significant contributions to the topics covered by the journal. Review articles should analyze, systematize, and integrate the findings of published research and be supported by a robust bibliography. They are characterized by thoughtful discussion and synthesis of previous work. The structure includes: Title, abstract, keywords, introduction, main body, conclusions, acknowledgments, and references. Word count: 5,000–6,000 words (excluding references).
Short Communication. This is a brief report presenting preliminary results or early findings from original research. Short communications should address important and urgent topics and use scientifically accepted methods to justify and document new findings. The structure includes: Title, abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, acknowledgments, and references. Word count: 2,500–3,000 words (excluding references).
Editorial note. Reserved for editors and members of the Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas Editorial Board. This article expresses an opinion, analysis, or synthesis of a topic relevant to the journal’s aims and scope. Word count: 2,500–3,000 words (excluding references).
Main Document. Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word (.docx or .doc) and Portable Document Format (.pdf) files with the appropriate word count depending on the article type (see Article types). Tables must be editable and placed within the main document. Figures should be submitted in Tagged Image File Format (.tif or .tiff) or Joint Photographic Experts Group format (.jpg or .jpeg).
Format and Style. Only manuscripts written in American or British English are accepted. The chosen style must be consistent throughout the document. Authors whose first language is not English are strongly encouraged to have their manuscripts edited and certified by a professional editing service or reviewed by a native English speaker. Manuscripts deemed to have poor language quality by the editors or reviewers will be rejected without undergoing peer review and returned to the authors. If accepted, the journal may request a final language revision before publication. Use the Microsoft Word template (RCA manuscript Word template) to prepare your manuscript. Please preserve the template’s format and style as follows:
Preparing your submission. Depending on the type of article, the manuscript should include the following sections:
Research Article: Title, author information, abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, supplementary material (if applicable), author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, and references.
Review Article: Title, author information, abstract, keywords, introduction, body of the article, conclusions, supplementary material (if applicable), author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, and references.
Short Communication: Title, author information, abstract, keywords, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, supplementary material (if applicable), author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, and references.
Editorial Note: Title, author information, abstract, keywords, introduction, body of the article, conclusions, author contributions, acknowledgments, conflicts of interest, and references.
Manuscript main body. The organization and sequence of the manuscript must follow the order below.
Title: The title should be universal, concise, and informative, and should clearly describe the nature of the work. It should not exceed 15 words. Scientific names should be italicized. Trade or brand names are not permitted, but generic names or active ingredients may be used. Avoid abbreviations. Additionally, a short title of no more than six words (45 characters maximum) must be provided.
Authors. The manuscript must include the full name of each author, a standardized signature, the corresponding author’s email address, and complete institutional affiliation (including department name, institution name, city, postal code, country, and/or telephone number). Institutional affiliations of authors whose work was conducted at different locations or who belong to multiple institutions may be included. The corresponding author is responsible for all correspondence during every stage of the editorial process and after publication. This responsibility includes responding to any future inquiries regarding the manuscript.
Abstract. The abstract should be a single paragraph of no more than 250 words. It should briefly describe the problem addressed, the study's objective, the methodology used, the most relevant results, and the main conclusions. It should not include undefined abbreviations or unspecified references. All scientific names should be italicized, as they are throughout the text.
Keywords. The abstract must be accompanied by at least six keywords listed in alphabetical order and separated by semicolons. These keywords should not duplicate words used in the title. When applicable, it is recommended to use standardized terms or descriptors from the AGROVOC Thesaurus (http://aims.fao.org/es/agrovoc).
Introduction. Provide adequate background information, including a clear description of the research problem and the current state of knowledge, as well as a justification for the study and a description of relevant prior work. Formulate the hypothesis and state the main objective of the study. Avoid presenting a detailed literature review or summarizing the results. The introduction should offer a concrete yet general overview that conveys the purpose and scope of the research.
Materials and methods. The methodological information must be clear and precise to allow for the reproducibility or further development of the research. Previously published methods must be referenced appropriately, and any relevant modifications must be described in detail, along with the materials used. Include the following: The location and characteristics of the experimental site, properties of the experimental materials, types and concentrations of formulations used, names and locations of suppliers or manufacturers of equipment, chemicals, etc. (Provide full details the first time they are mentioned; afterward, only the name is required). If a new method or tool is introduced, such as software, questionnaires, or scales, authors must indicate the license under which it is available and any permissions required for its use. If an existing method or tool is used, the authors are responsible for verifying the license and securing any necessary permissions. If permission was required, include a confirmation statement in this section. Also include a detailed description of: The proposed experimental design, the number of replicates and treatments, dimensions of the experimental units, evaluated variables and evaluation methods, data collection procedures, and statistical and mathematical methods used for data analysis. Any assumptions made and their justifications.
Results. The Results section should present the key data and findings of the research objectively, using tables, figures, and text to describe the experimental outcomes in an orderly and concise manner. This section may be divided into subheadings to clearly outline the findings, enabling readers to interpret them and compare them with previously published information.
Discussion. The Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas does not accept a combined Results and Discussion section. The discussion should be comprehensive and in-depth, thoroughly analyzing the significance of the findings. Avoid excessive speculation, repetition of results, and listing of other studies without meaningfully integrating them into the narrative. Citations should be justified by thoughtfully comparing or contrasting them with the current results. Emphasize the importance and novelty of the findings.
Conclusions. Conclusions must be based on the analysis of the results and aligned with the study’s objectives. They should be supported by the methodologies applied and the experimental evidence presented. Avoid repeating previous content. Instead, focus on the key findings, their relevance, practical implications, contributions to the field, and potential to address specific problems.
Supplementary Material. List and describe any supplementary material published online with the manuscript, such as figures, tables, videos, and spreadsheets. Clearly label each item with a name and title using the following format: Figure S1: [Title], Table S1: [Title], etc.
Author Contributions. Include a brief paragraph that specifies the contributions of each author, following the guidelines of the CRediT taxonomy. Use the following format: Conceptualization, X.X. and Y.Y.; Methodology, X.X.; Software, X.X.; Validation, X.X., Y.Y., and Z.Z.; Formal Analysis, X.X.; Investigation, X.X.; Resources, X.X.; Data Curation, X.X.; Writing—Original Draft Preparation, X.X.; Writing—Review & Editing, X.X.; Visualization, X.X.; Supervision, X.X.; Project Administration, X.X.; Funding Acquisition, Y.Y. Authorship should include—and be limited to—those who have made substantial contributions to the work.
Acknowledgments. Acknowledgments should be presented as a brief statement following the author contributions section. This section may include recognition of technical, scientific, or linguistic support received from colleagues or professionals. Authors should also acknowledge funding sources by specifying the funding organization, project title/acronym, and grant number (if applicable). Institutional acknowledgments for scientific, technical, or financial contributions may be included at the authors’ discretion.
Conflicts of Interest. Authors must disclose any circumstances or personal relationships that could be perceived as influencing the presentation or interpretation of the research findings. If there are no conflicts of interest, include the following statement: "The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest." The corresponding author is responsible for disclosing any financial or personal relationships with individuals or organizations that could inappropriately influence the work, on behalf of all co-authors. The declaration of conflicts of interest must clearly state whether such conflicts exist (see Additional documents).
References. The reference list should only include works that have been published, are in press, or have been formally accepted for publication and are cited in the text. Personal communications and unpublished works are not accepted and should not be listed as references. References should be arranged alphabetically by the last name of the first author. When citing multiple works by the same author(s), list them in chronological order. Example: Smith et al., 2001; Álvarez & Montero, 2010; and González, 2024. References should be drawn from widely circulated, peer-reviewed, or specialized academic publications, at least 90% of which should have been published within the last ten years. All digital references must include a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), if available. This journal follows a modified version of the American Psychological Association (APA) reference style. Bibliographic entries should be formatted with hanging indents. Use the following examples as a guide:
Research article:
Morais, H.; Medri, M. E.; Marur, C. J.; Caramori, P. H.; Ribeiro, A. M. D. A.; Gomes, J. C. (2004). Modifications on leaf anatomy of Coffea arabica caused by shade of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 47, 863-871. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516- 89132004000600005
Book:
Kroese, D. P.; Botev, Z.; Taimre, T. (2019). Data science and machine learning: mathematical and statistical methods. Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Book chapter:
Zhang, Z., Wang, P., & Liu, J. L. (2022). Application of CRISPR-Based Technology in Plant Gene Editing and Agricultural Engineering. In CRISPR: A Machine-Generated Literature Overview (pp. 199-225). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Web:
Jaramillo, J., 2006. Asistencia técnica en línea. http://www.corpoica.org.co/Foro/vermensaje.asp?id_mensaje=253 (accessed 13 March 2006).
Software:
Coon, E., Berndt, M., Jan, A., Svyatsky, D., Atchley, A., Kikinzon, E., ... & Molins, S. Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS) v0. 88 (Version 0.88). Zenodo; 2020, March 25. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3727209
Tables. Tables should be included in the main document and numbered consecutively. They should also be accompanied by a concise, descriptive heading. Tables must be submitted as editable text, not images. Authors should use the "Table" function in Microsoft Word to create all tables. Number the tables in the order they appear in the manuscript (e.g., Table 1, Table 2, Table 3), and place the table legend above the body of the table. Place footnotes below the table body and use them to define all abbreviations. Use the following footnote symbols in this order: Use the symbols: †, ‡, §, and ¶, in this order. Reserve the symbols *, **, and *** exclusively for indicating p-values. Identify statistical measures, such as standard deviation (SD) or standard error of the mean (SEM), in the column headings. Units of measurement should be indicated in parentheses within the column headings, not within the table body. Tables must adhere to APA formatting guidelines. Vertical lines are not permitted, and color or shading in cells is discouraged. Use horizontal lines only between the title and the column or row headings to improve readability.
Figures. All figures must be original and submitted specifically for publication in this journal (see Manuscript submission). Figure legends must be written in English and include any relevant mathematical symbols. Figures should be numbered in the order they appear in the main text (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3), and the legend should be placed below the image. A main figure may be divided into subfigures, also referred to as plates, which are labeled with capital letters (A, B, C, etc.). These subfigures must be referenced consistently in the legend. Any special characters, icons, or symbols used in a figure must be explained in the legend. All figures must be submitted at a high resolution of at least 600 dpi, with legible fonts and appropriate sizing to ensure clarity when reproduced. Acceptable file formats for figures are .tiff and .jpeg (or .jpg). Figures should be finalized before submission with no editable elements.
Cover letter. A cover letter must accompany each manuscript submission. Address it to the journal and provide a concise overview of the manuscript, including the significance of its content and how the findings relate to existing research. The letter should also explain how the manuscript aligns with the journal’s aims and scope. Authors must state how the manuscript was edited into English. Additionally, authors must confirm that the manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere and has not been previously published. All authors must approve the final version and agree to its submission to the Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas.
Highlights. Highlights are required for this journal because they improve the article's visibility in search engine results. Highlights should consist of three to five short sentences that convey the main research findings. Submit them as a Microsoft Word file, and do not exceed 100 characters per sentence (including spaces).
Graphical Abstract. A graphical abstract is mandatory and should concisely and engagingly summarize the article's content for a broad audience. It must be submitted as a separate file during the online submission process. The image should measure at least 531 × 1328 pixels (height × width) and be legible at a minimum size of 20 cm wide at 600 dpi resolution. Acceptable file formats are .tiff and .jpg.
Declaration of conflicts of interest. All authors must disclose any relationships or interests that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to, financial interests (such as memberships, employment, consultancies, stock or share ownership, honoraria, grants or other funding, paid expert testimony, and patent-licensing arrangements) and non-financial interests (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, or personal beliefs). Declaring conflicts of interest is mandatory to ensure the credibility, trustworthiness, and transparency of the scientific process leading to publication in the journal. The corresponding author, on behalf of all authors, must provide the relevant information using the RCA Declaration of Conflicts of Interest form, which—where applicable—may specify that the authors have nothing to declare. The corresponding author must submit this form through the journal’s submission platform (http://revistas.udenar.edu.co/index.php/rfacia/login).
Citing references. It is the author's responsibility to ensure that all references are cited accurately and completely. In-text citations should include the author’s last name and the year of publication. If the citation appears at the beginning of a sentence, only the year should be placed in parentheses.
Example: According to the FAO (1993), corn has three important uses: food, fodder, and a raw material for industry. If the citation appears at the end of a sentence, both the author’s name and the year should be placed in parentheses. Example: In Nariño, this product is used solely for food (Benavides, 2005). For works with two authors, use "and" in the narrative and "&" in parentheses. Example: García and Pantoja (1998); García & Pantoja (1998). If the same author is cited for multiple works from different years, separate the years with commas in chronological order. Example: (Criollo, 2001, 2004, 2011). For works with more than two authors, cite only the first author, followed by "et al." (in italics) and the year. Examples: (Lagos et al., 2001) or (Lagos et al., 2001), if mentioned in the narrative. When citing multiple sources in a single parenthesis, separate them with semicolons in the order they appear in the text. Example: (Alexopoulos, 1963; Sañudo, 2001). When citing multiple works by the same author published in the same year, add a lowercase letter after the year, arranged in alphabetical order by the order of appearance. For example, (Pérez, 2001a, 2001b, 2001c). All cited sources must be listed in full in the reference list.
Nomenclature and units. The journal adheres to internationally accepted standards and conventions. Use the International System of Units (SI) for all physical measurements and the nomenclature rules established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) for chemical compounds. Authors must also comply with the rules of biological nomenclature as defined by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, and International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Present simple formulas in line with the text whenever possible. Variables should be italicized. Number equations consecutively and separate them from the main text. Explain Greek letters and any non-Roman symbols in the margin or upon their first appearance in the manuscript.
We appreciate your submission of a manuscript to the Revista de Ciencias Agrícolas. Articles are accepted on an ongoing basis, and the journal publishes quarterly issues. Manuscripts must be structured according to the journal’s standards and submitted through the platform: https://revistas.udenar.edu.co/index.php/rfacia/about/submissions. If your manuscript meets the preliminary review criteria, you will be notified through the submission platform or via the email address provided. For more information about the submission process, please contact us at revistafacia@udenar.edu.co. Be sure to include all required documents during the submission stage: i) cover letter, ii) highlights, iii) graphical abstract, iv) main document (manuscript), v) figures, vi) supplementary material, and vii) declaration of conflicts of interest. Submitted manuscripts will be considered for publication and sent for peer review only if they meet all the above requirements.
The acceptance of the manuscript depends on the outcome of the revision process. Authors must provide a point-by-point response to the reviewers' comments. Any changes should be indicated in the revised manuscript, using red text for each change. If certain comments cannot be addressed, a clear rebuttal must be provided. Typically, a maximum of two rounds of major revision are allowed per manuscript. The author will then be given a reasonable timeframe to resubmit the revised version, which will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief for further evaluation or decision. The authors are responsible for submitting all required corrections within the specified deadline.
9. Article Processing Fee
This journal does not charge article processing or publication fees (APCs).
The names and email addresses entered in this journal will be used exclusively for the purposes stated by this journal and will not be available for any other purpose or other person.