Aims and Scope
Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences
Aims and Scope
Spanning crop and animal production, food science and technology, natural-resource management, and sustainable agricultural development.
Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences aims to advance the science and technology of agriculture and food by publishing rigorous, original research and authoritative critical reviews. The journal supports both fundamental enquiry and applied innovation, and welcomes work that strengthens the productivity, resilience, safety and sustainability of food and agricultural systems. It gives particular attention to emerging fields and concepts that provide direction for future research and development, and it publishes scholarship of international relevance from a wide range of agro-ecological and socio-economic settings. There is no fixed restriction on the length of papers, provided the length is justified by the content.
Aim
The journal seeks to disseminate high-quality research on the science and technology of crop and animal production; on biosecurity and the postharvest handling of produce; on agricultural technology and the management of the natural-resource base for agricultural production, including land, soil and water; on rural management and agricultural development; and on agriculture in changing environments. It also publishes original research across the branches of food science and cognate fields of sufficient relevance.
Subject coverage
The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to, the following areas.
Crop science, agronomy & plant protection Crop physiology, breeding and genetics; agronomy and cropping systems; seed science; weed, pest and disease management; entomology, plant pathology and integrated pest management; and horticulture. | Soil, water & natural-resource management Soil science and fertility; plant nutrition and fertilisation; irrigation and water management; land use; and the sustainable management of the natural-resource base for agricultural production. |
Animal science, livestock & aquaculture Animal production, nutrition, breeding, physiology and health; poultry science; dairy science; and fisheries and aquaculture, with attention to product quality and welfare. | Food science, technology, safety & nutrition Food chemistry and microbiology; food processing and engineering; food quality, functional and nutritional properties; food safety and quality assurance; sensory and consumer science; and food security. |
Postharvest science & agro-processing Postharvest physiology and handling; storage; value addition and by-product valorisation; and the development of food and agro-industrial products and processes. | Agricultural biotechnology, genetics & biosecurity Agricultural and food biotechnology; molecular biology and genomics applied to crops, livestock and micro-organisms; genetic resources; and biosecurity, including quarantine and the management of invasive and emerging threats. |
Agricultural economics, extension & rural development Agricultural and resource economics; farm and agribusiness management; agricultural extension, innovation and technology adoption; rural livelihoods; and food and agricultural policy. | Climate change, sustainability & agroecology Climate-smart and conservation agriculture; agroecology and agrobiodiversity; environmental impacts of agriculture; and the adaptation of food and agricultural systems to changing environments. |
Scope as reflected in recent DAFS research
The breadth of the journal is illustrated by the themes of its recently published work, which span, among others: food technology and processing, including extrusion-cooking and the development of novel and instant food products; the nutritional and functional characterisation of cereals, pulses and flours; the sustainable use of regional crops, co-products and by-products in agro-industry; postharvest quality and the effects of processing methods on food products; good agricultural practices, food safety and food security in developing-country contexts; climate-smart agriculture and farmers’ adaptation to climate change; the management of crop pests and diseases; livestock and poultry production and the handling and quality of animal products; and agricultural economics, extension and rural development. This range reflects the journal’s commitment to both laboratory-based food and agricultural science and field-based, socially relevant research.
Interdisciplinary research
DAFS welcomes interdisciplinary work in which an agricultural or food-science question and contribution are central, including research that connects the agricultural and food sciences with the environmental, biological, engineering, nutritional, economic and social sciences. Authors should make clear how their work contributes to the relevant agricultural or food-science literature.
Research approaches
The journal considers controlled and field experiments; laboratory and analytical studies; surveys and socio-economic studies; modelling and simulation; and systematic or structured reviews and meta-analyses, together with other rigorous approaches appropriate to the agricultural and food sciences.
What we look for
A strong submission normally demonstrates a clearly defined research question or objective; a convincing account of its originality and significance; appropriate engagement with the relevant literature; a sound and transparent design or methodology, reported in enough detail to allow evaluation and, where relevant, replication; results supported by the data; acknowledgement of limitations; compliance with applicable ethical, safety and biosecurity requirements; and relevance to the journal’s international readership.
Work that may fall outside scope
A manuscript may be declined before external review where it has no substantial agricultural or food-science content; is largely descriptive without a clear scientific contribution; lacks an identifiable research question; does not engage adequately with the literature; makes claims unsupported by its methods or data; falls below basic methodological, safety or reporting standards; substantially duplicates prior work; or does not meet the journal’s ethical or submission requirements. Work whose primary contribution lies wholly outside the agricultural and food sciences is normally out of scope. Authors uncertain about suitability are welcome to contact the Editorial Office before submitting.
