The Journal of Plant Science and Phytopathology follows a transparent and ethical policy regarding manuscript withdrawals to maintain the integrity of scientific research. Authors may request to withdraw their manuscript under specific circumstances, subject to approval by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board. This policy ensures that all published work upholds ethical and professional standards.

Once an article is officially published, it becomes part of the permanent academic record. However, under extraordinary conditions, an article may be withdrawn, retracted, or removed due to errors, ethical violations, or legal implications. Any such action will be documented, and an official statement will be issued.

Withdrawal of an Article

Authors may withdraw their manuscript before final publication under the following conditions:

• Accidental Submission: If the manuscript was submitted multiple times due to technical errors.
• Ethical Concerns: Issues related to plagiarism, duplicate submissions, or incorrect authorship claims.
• Author's Request: If authors wish to withdraw their manuscript for revision or submission elsewhere, they must formally request withdrawal before final acceptance.

The withdrawal process incurs a fee, based on the review stage:

Withdrawal Stage	Fee
Before Plagiarism Check	$0
After Plagiarism Check but Before Peer Review	$349
After Peer Review	$549
At Final Proof Stage	$749

Retraction of an Article

Retractions are issued when a published article is found to contain significant ethical or scientific violations. The primary reasons for retraction include:

• Plagiarism: Unauthorized use of another author's work.
• Fabricated Data: Manipulated or false research findings.
• Ethical Misconduct: Undisclosed conflicts of interest or unethical research practices.
• Legal Issues: Defamation, copyright infringement, or violations of publishing policies.

A retracted article will remain accessible with a clear retraction notice, ensuring transparency.

Removal of an Article

Article removal is an exceptional measure taken only in cases where:

• Legal Violations: Court orders mandate content removal.
• Defamatory Content: The article contains defamatory statements or harmful misinformation.
• Serious Ethical Breaches: Unethical research practices or risks to public health.

If an article is removed, the metadata (title and authors) will remain, with a notice explaining the reason for removal.

Replacement of an Article

In cases where an article contains errors that could mislead researchers or pose risks, the authors may request a replacement with a corrected version. If approved:

• The original article will be retracted.
• A corrected version will be published with a notice.

The retraction notice will remain linked to the corrected article for transparency.

The Journal of Plant Science and Phytopathology is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards and ensuring the credibility of scientific research.