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Journal of Sugar Beet Research
Instructions to Authors

Rev. May 9, 2023

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General:

The Journal of Sugar Beet Research (JSBR) welcomes original research articles, research and review articles, and articles of historical interest to the beet sugar industry.  The JSBR will continue accepting peer-reviewed papers (manuscripts); in addition, the JSBR will now be accepting the following:

  1. Technical reports (2-4 pages, exemption up to 6 pages for reports containing a lot of graphs and pictures). Technical reports will be subject to editorial review for content and methods.  “Infomercial” type reports (commercial companies marketing products through reports) will be not accepted.
  2. Relevant abstracts published from other journals. The abstracts will be re-published in the JSBR to provide information on sugar beet related research published elsewhere.

The journal is particularly interested in all aspects of sugar beet and beet sugar production which further the knowledge of the industry, improve production, and stimulate discussions that lead to new ideas and solutions for existing and emerging problems.  The Editors of the JSBR invite papers in the United States and worldwide, including but not limited to the following topics:

  • Agronomy
  • Breeding & Genetics
  • Disease, Insect, and Pest Management
  • Economy
  • Environment/Sustainability
  • Harvest & Storage
  • New Technologies
  • Physiology
  • Processing
  • Safety
  • Water Conservation and Drought
  • Weed Management

Submission

  • Authors may submit manuscripts for consideration in Microsoft Word format via email to the following persons:
  • In an accompanying cover letter, please provide the corresponding author’s name, telephone number and email address and email addresses of all co-authors.
  • Ethics Policy – Submission of any paper for consideration to the JSBR for review is understood to indicate that all co-authors have approved submission in the current form, that they have read and agree to the Journal of Sugar Beet Research (JSBR) Ethics Policy, and that the paper is being submitted to the Journal. Submitting a paper that does not meet these criteria is an ethical violation and will lead to rejection or retraction of the work. Please contact any American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists (ASSBT) staff member for a copy of the Ethics Policy.
  • Copyright Agreement – Prior to final acceptance of a peer-reviewed paper or technical report, a copyright agreement must be submitted. You will receive the agreement from an Editor or ASSBT staff member.  Please contact an ASSBT staff member if you have any questions.

Editorial Style:

All JSBR submissions must be in English.  The header in the upper right corner of each page should include JSBR, the first author’s last name and the page number.  Type all materials double-spaced, including title, by-line, abstract, and text.  Main document includes, title, authors and affiliations, a symbol indicating corresponding author, the main text, and literature cited (references). Tables should be on numbered pages (one table per page) after the literature cited section, followed by legends for figures. If a table is larger than one page, please continue to the next page(s).  Figures should be included as separate files. Submit papers with lines numbered continuously throughout the document.

After approval by the Editor for consideration, peer-reviewed papers are reviewed for style, grammar, clarity of presentation, precision, and conciseness of statements by two or more anonymous reviewers, an Associate Editor and the Editor.  The anonymous reviewers will review the science of the work.  Technical reports are reviewed by an Associate Editor and Editor for content and methods.  Preferred spellings are according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.  Helpful reference books are: ACS Style Guide and the CBE Style Manual.  Please note that the ACS style is preferred, and more information can be found here.  The spelling of “sugar beet” (singular) is the required spelling for titles and text; however, the spelling of “sugarbeet” may be used as a keyword to help with searching this older terminology.

Both metric (e.g., Mg/ha or Mg ha-1 consistent throughout) and imperial units are required in text, tables, and graphs.  Imperial units are required and should be given in parentheses after the metric units, e.g., 1 m (3.28 ft).  Use numerals before standard units of measurement, e.g., 1 g, 9 h; otherwise, use words for numbers one through nine and numerals for larger numbers.  Non-standard abbreviations should be avoided unless they facilitate comprehension or save significant space; at first use, spell out the term and enclose the abbreviation in parentheses.

Scientific names of higher plants and organisms should be given once with the authorities following the common name at first mention in a manuscript.  Italicize Latin binomials and names of viruses.  The common name should be used alone thereafter.  Pesticides should be identified at first mention in the manuscript by the approved common name, followed by the chemistry of the compound in parentheses and, if desired, by the trade name.  The common name should be used thereafter in the text.

Title:  The title should reflect the important aspects of the article as concisely as possible, preferably no more than 200 characters including spaces.  A short version of the title (no more than 20 characters) should be taken from the main title for the running header of the article.  All words in the title that are longer than three letters, except species names, should be capitalized.  Do not include both common and scientific names of plants and other organisms in the title.  When scientific names are used in the title, do not include authorities. The title may be footnoted, with the footnote giving information on joint contributions, such that the first and second author contributed equally.

By-line:  The by-line contains the authors’ names (first name, initial or two initials, followed by surname), with “and” before the final author (if there are more than one), under which are the authors’ addresses followed by the email address of the corresponding author. Corresponding author with * symbol and affiliations are indicated with numbers in superscripts.

Abstract:  An abstract is required for all peer-reviewed papers.  Limit abstracts to one paragraph of no more than 200 words.  Do not include both common and scientific names of plants and other organisms nor include the authority in the abstract.  Always include the common and scientific name(s) of the organism(s) studied with the authority in the text the first time it is mentioned.  Below the abstract, after the subheading Additional Key Words, list words or phrases that would be useful in index retrieval systems:  do not repeat words or phrases used in the title.

Text:

  • Font should be Times New Roman, size 12.
  • Papers should include the following sections:
    • INTRODUCTION, MATERIALS AND METHODS, RESULTS, DISCUSSION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and LITERATURE CITED.
    • NOTE: Technical reports should also include a RESEARCH OBJECTIVES section after the introduction and before the materials and methods section.
    • RESULTS and DISCUSSION may be combined.
    • Authors may elect to include a CONCLUSIONS section after the discussion section, when appropriate.

Subheadings may be used, but excessive fragmentation of the text should be avoided.  Footnotes are discouraged.

Tables:

Tables and figures must be cited in numerical order.  In the text, Figures are indicated as Figure 1 in-line text, and (Fig. 1). Similarly, tables are indicated as Table 1 in-line text or (Table 1).

Titles and legend should be self-explanatory and include enough information so that each table is intelligible without reference to the text or other tables.  The title should summarize the information presented in the table without repeating the subheadings.  Subheadings should be brief.  Abbreviations are acceptable; non-standard ones should be explained in footnotes.

Two types of footnotes are used with tables:  those to show statistical significance and those to give supplementary information. The * and ** always are used in this order to show statistical significance (or non-significance) at the 0.05 and 0.01 probability levels, respectively, and cannot be used for other footnotes.  Lack of significance at any level usually is indicated by NS (not significant referenced in footnote).  Supplementary notes are given the following symbols in this order (do not use numbers or letters):

†, ‡, §, ¶, ††, ‡‡

These symbols should be cited just as you would read a table – from left to right and from top to bottom.  When asterisks are part of a table, they precede the other notes. Within the table, numbers with the same unit and/or equal length should be centered in the column.  If they are unequal, center the longest one and align the rest on the decimal point.  Single-column tables should be avoided; include material in text.  Please ensure that data is reported considering the precision of the measurements, not using a default 2 decimal places unless appropriate for the measurements used.

Figures:

Illustrations must be of high resolution.  Figures must be legible when reduced to 4-inch (102 mm) width by no more than 7-inch (190 mm) height, including caption.  A scale bar should be included on the image(s) when size relationships are important.  Each figure should be labeled with the figure number, author’s name, and JSBR.  Captions should be fully descriptive so that the illustrations are understandable when considered apart from the text.  Graphs and figures should be high resolution images (at least 300 pixels per inch) and in jpg, tiff, or bitmap formats.  If another format is needed, the author should convert a copy into Word format, or check with the Editor for other options.

Materials and Methods:

Within MATERIALS AND METHODS, define experimental designs used, number of replicates, number of repetitions (i.e., locations or years), and statistical analyses performed.  Indicate in table footnotes or figure captions, what numerical data represents (e.g., means of how many replicates).  In general, conclusions should be based on repeated experiments.  If data is combined for repeated experiments, include information on the statistical tests done to confirm data could be combined.  Indicate in table footnotes of figure captions whether data shown is combined or an example from one repetition.

Statistical methods:

The appropriate statistical procedures should be used for analyzing and summarizing data.  The analysis should be consistent with the original experimental design, the treatment design, and any factors that may have affected the experiment, e.g., missing data.

Ag-related articles

  • Experimental setup:
    • Sound statistical methods should have been used including randomization, untreated checks and (grower) standards, data collections, etc.
    • Replications:
      • A minimum of two (2) completed site years and/or locations, preferably three (3) study site for field trials.
      • A minimum three (3) replications of the study for greenhouse or lab experiments.
      • Treatments should be replicated at least four (4) times.
    • Data analysis:
      • Appropriate statistical procedures should be used for analyzing and summarizing data.
      • Studies need to be statically analyzed, using ARM, R, SAS, or other programs.

Several procedures are appropriate for separating treatment means, and several uses of mean separation procedures are inappropriate. The following (from Agronomy Journal 75:1059) are considered inappropriate:

  1. The use of multiple range tests or other pairwise procedures when treatments have an obvious structure and/or when planned single degree of freedom contrasts were built into the experiment.
  2. The use of multiple range tests or other pairwise procedures to compare means from quantitative treatments such as rates of fertilizer or pesticides, plant density, seeding rates, time, or temperature ranges.
  3. Comparisons of factorial treatment combinations by multiple range tests without consideration of the estimation of main effects and what numerical data represents (e.g., means of how many replicates).

Processing, Safety, or other, non-Ag. Articles

  • Experiment/Trial setup
    • Show all feasible steps were taken to control variables outside the scope of the study.
    • Replications/Duration:
      • Test or trial conditions should be repeated and/or operated at least three (3) times longer than is expected to see first results. e., if running a diffuser trial, and the residence time is one (1) hour, then each condition should be tested for at least three (3) hours.
      • If batch processes are involved, each test should cover at least three (3) batch cycles.
    • Data Analysis
      • Test or trial data should be collected on even time intervals or for each batch cycle using an electronic data logging system or manual data logbook.
      • Appropriate statistical procedures should be used for analyzing and summarizing data.

Results, Discussion, and Conclusion:

Results: Do present results (what was found) objectively with support of “telling” tables and graphs. Do not compare to existing data from previous studies.

Discussion: Compare and reflect on previous data and results. Discussion is what the author thinks and how it relates to the literature.  Use citations when referencing past results.

Conclusion: Conclusions should be based on reproducible data, on observations previously made and supported by the current study.

Literature (References) Cited:

All references listed must be cited in the text and must be accurate, in consistent format, and complete (follow the below given examples).  List in alphabetical order by authors’ surnames; do not number.  When citing multiple works by the same author, list single-authorship articles before those by several authors.  Determine the sequence by alphabetizing the first author’s surname and junior authors’ surnames, by the year of publication (most recent last), and, if necessary, by the page numbers of articles published in the same journal.  List total pages of theses and bulletins, and list specific pages of book chapters.  Refer to Chemical Abstracts Service Source Index for journal abbreviations.  Do not abbreviate one-word titles of journals and publications.  All online references must contain the DOI link. Citing conference proceedings and/or abstracts is not permitted.  The majority of references cited should be peer reviewed publications.

Text references should use the “Author, Year” (Jones, 1999) (Jones and Smith, 2009) system and be presented in chronological order.  If there are more than two authors for a reference, the format should be (Jones et al., 1999).  Separate text references with a semicolon (Jones, 1999; Smith, 2000).  If there are more than one reference from the same author(s) and year, these should be indicated with a letter after the year (Jones, 1999a; Jones 1999b).

An example of a journal citation is:

Brewbaker, J. L., and S. K. Majumder. 1961. Cultural studies of the pollen population effect and the self-incompatibility inhibition. Am. J. Bot. 48:457-464. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1537-2197.1961.tb11669.x

An example of a book citation is:

Towill, L. E. 1985. Low temperature and freeze-vacuum-drying preservation of pollen. p. 171-198. In K. K. Kartha (ed.).  Cryopreservation of Plant Cells and Organs.  CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.

Do not list a work in preparation, submitted but not accepted for publication, or not readily available in libraries.  Cite the work parenthetically in the text: (J. J. Jones, unpublished) or (J. J. Jones, personal communication).  Written permission from the person(s) cited as the source of unpublished information must be provided when the manuscript is submitted.  Avoid excessive reference to unpublished information because such data cannot be evaluated by reviewers or readers.

Acknowledgements:

Please include funding agencies, companies, individuals, etc. and additional collaborators, colleagues, etc. with a brief note on their contribution.  Please limit to no more than 150 words.  In addition, any standard disclaimers (e.g., for USDA-ARS) may be noted in this section.

Review, Revision and Resubmission (peer-reviewed papers):

The Editor will review each paper and forward it to an Associate Editor with expertise that best fits the paper topic.  The Associate Editor will review the paper and select at least two additional reviewers.  Thus, each paper will be reviewed by at least four people.  The Associate Editor will work with the author to assure that appropriate revisions are incorporated into the paper.  A paper may be rejected at any stage if the Associate Editor and Editor believe that the writing is too poor, it deemed not to be a fit for the journal, observed deficiencies cannot be fixed, or if ethical violations are identified.

If a paper is submitted by the Editor, an Associate Editor will be requested to serve as Editor with a second Associate Editor serving the standard role.  The Editor will have no part in the review

process.  If a paper is submitted by an Associate Editor, the Editor will request a different Associate Editor to assist in review and identification of reviewers.  The submitting Associate Editor will have no part in the review process.

After revisions, an electronic file of the paper (email or flash drive) with track changes indicated, along with a file listing the revisions done and an explanation why any suggested revisions were not done, should be sent back to the Associate Editor.  Microsoft Word is the preferred format for final submission.  Consult with the Associate Editor about other formats if needed.  As a reminder, figures, including graphs and pictures, should be submitted as separate files from the text document.  The formats and resolution can be found under “Figures”.  In the final version submitted, after review and revisions, the author should suggest a preferred location (line number) within the text to place tables and figures (e.g., place on or as soon after line X as fits”). If the Associate Editor agrees that the revisions are adequate, the paper will then be sent to the Editor for one final editorial review, after which the Editor will send the paper to the ASSBT office for creation of a proof in the official Journal PDF format.  The author will receive a copy of the proof for final review and should then be returned promptly to the ASSBT office to facilitate online publication in the next available issue of the Journal.

Upon recommendation of the Publications Committee, the Board of Directors of the American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists has voted to update its publication fees (see below) for publishing in the Journal of Sugar Beet Research.

Publishing Fees

Current page charge fees are shown below:

JSBR Publishing Fees (submitted papers)1
Peer-reviewed publications2: $1,500 – up to 12 pages, $50 each additional page;
Technical reports3: $500 up to 4 pages, $50 each additional page;
Re-published abstracts:  Free of Charge
1ASSBT members receive a 20% discount on all fees.2Fees for peer-reviewed publications are effective January 1, 2023.3Technical reports may include short publications up to four pages, and could include protocols, germplasm releases, and short reports.  Fees for technical reports are effective June 3, 2022.

To become a member of ASSBT, please reach out to Heidi Giles at [email protected].

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