This section provides guidance for Editors of PhytoMycology in carrying out their editorial responsibilities, including manuscript evaluation, oversight of the peer-review process, and the maintenance of high ethical and scholarly standards. Editorial practices at PhytoMycology are guided by the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Manuscript Handling and Editorial Process

Editors are expected to follow the journal’s Editor Guide and established editorial procedures to ensure a fair, transparent, and efficient peer-review process, and to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record.

Editorial Ethics and Responsibilities

Editors are required to uphold the following principles when handling manuscripts submitted to PhytoMycology:
● Editorial Independence and Impartiality: Editors must evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of academic merit, scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, and relevance to the scope of the journal. Editorial decisions must not be influenced by authors’ personal characteristics, institutional affiliation, nationality, or academic seniority.
● Confidentiality and Data Protection: All submitted manuscripts and associated peer-review materials are confidential. Editors must not disclose any information about a submission beyond those directly involved in the editorial and peer-review process, in accordance with BioAcademic Press data protection and confidentiality policies.
● Initial Assessment and Editorial Screening: Editors may decline manuscripts without external peer review if they are clearly outside the scope of PhytoMycology, fail to meet basic scientific or ethical standards, or do not align with the aims and quality requirements of the journal.
● Timeliness and Editorial Efficiency: Editors should make every reasonable effort to ensure the timely processing of manuscripts, including prompt reviewer selection, careful evaluation of reviewer reports, and clear communication of editorial decisions.
● Conflicts of Interest and Editor-Authored Submissions: Editors must declare any potential conflicts of interest. Manuscripts submitted by Editors must be handled independently by another qualified Editor or an appropriate member of the Editorial or Advisory Board to ensure objectivity and transparency.
● Handling Allegations of Misconduct: Suspected cases of research or publication misconduct, including plagiarism, data fabrication, image manipulation, or duplicate publication, should be investigated in collaboration with the editorial office of PhytoMycology and BioAcademic Press, following COPE guidelines and established procedures.
● Corrections and Maintenance of the Scholarly Record: Editors share responsibility for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the published literature. When substantial errors or ethical concerns are identified in published articles, Editors should work with the editorial office and publisher to issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions, as appropriate.
● Use of Unpublished Material: Editors must not use data, analyses, or ideas obtained through the editorial or peer-review process for personal research or professional advantage without the explicit consent of the authors.
● Confidentiality of Submissions and Responsible Use of Digital Tools: Editors must ensure that manuscript files, peer-review reports, figures, and other unpublished materials are not uploaded to external platforms or tools that do not guarantee confidentiality or that may store, reuse, or make such content publicly accessible. This includes refraining from the use of generative AI tools for processing or analyzing confidential manuscript content.

Further Guidance
Editors are strongly encouraged to consult the COPE Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors for comprehensive guidance on ethical editorial conduct.

For any questions regarding editorial responsibilities, ethical matters, or manuscript handling procedures, please contact the PhytoMycology editorial office.