Journal profile · Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Plant Science
South African Journal of Plant and Soil
ISSN 0257-1862 · eISSN 2167-034X · Taylor & Francis
South African Journal of Plant and Soil: CAS Zone 4 · Agricultural & Forestry Sciences (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 0.6 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 162 days to acceptance (38 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 35% (journal website); 15 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
South African Journal of Plant and Soil is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 4 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics, Crop Yield and Soil Fertility and Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems, together about 25.9% of its articles. Its main subfields are Plant Science and Soil Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The South African Journal of Plant and Soil publishes original articles and commentaries on research on fundamental and applied soil and plant sciences. The journal has a geographical focus on the African continent but welcomes contributions from other parts of the world if these are of wider international significance. Original research papers, short communications, review articles, and commentaries on papers recently published will be considered for publication in the Journal. Manuscripts considered should address aspects of: Agronomic or horticultural research including breeding and genetics, production and management, physiology, and product quality; Soil science including biology, chemistry and physics, classification, fertility, mineralogy, (hydro-)pedology, and soil and land evaluation; Weed science; Agro-meteorology; Agro-ecology; Forage, pasture and turfgrass science; Plant-soil systems modelling; Plant–microbe interactions; Plant–pest interactions; or Plant–soil relationships. Full research articles, short communications and review articles should provide new knowledge or insights into mechanisms. Findings of a purely descriptive nature or review articles merely summarising established knowledge are not considered. Field experiments and experiments under controlled conditions presented in original research articles should include at least two sets or seasons of data, or data from multiple sites, unless unusual conditions apply. Review articles are only considered if they are based on clear research questions and/or objectives, and on a systematic methodology. Quantitative meta-analysis of data retrieved through reviewing is encouraged. Peer Review Statement: The South African Journal of Plant and Soil is an international, peer-reviewed journal which publishes high quality, original research contributions to scientific knowledge. All manuscript submissions are subject to initial appraisal by the Editor-in-Chief, and, if found suitable for further consideration, to peer review by independent, anonymous expert referees. All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne Manuscripts. Authors to please note: Page charges for the journal are ZAR250 per page (for society members) and ZAR700 (for non-members).
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Agricultural and Biological Sciences-Plant Science
Editor-in-chief Stephano HaarhofPublisher website
Editorial board by country: none in mainland China; most named South Africa 4 (4 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen DynamicsAgricultural and Biological Sciences11.8%
- Crop Yield and Soil FertilityAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.5%
- Agronomic Practices and Intercropping SystemsAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.5%
- Genetics and Plant BreedingAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.4%
- Wheat and Barley Genetics and PathologyAgricultural and Biological Sciences5.3%
- Plant Physiology and Cultivation StudiesAgricultural and Biological Sciences5.1%
- Soil and Unsaturated FlowEngineering4.7%
- Soil Management and Crop YieldAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Agronomy | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Agricultural & Forestry Sciences Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Agricultural & Forestry Sciences | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Agronomy | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
CAB AbstractsPublisher website
Other: AGRICOLA, AgBiotechNet, AGRICOLA (AGRIcultural OnLine Access), Agricultural Engineering Abstracts, Agroforestry Abstracts (Online), Animal Science Database, ArticleFirst, Bacteriology Abstracts (Microbiology B), Biocontrol News and Information, Biological Abstracts (Online), Biological Sciences, BIOSIS Previews, Botanical Pesticides Abstracts, Cotton and Tropical Fibres, Crop Physiology Abstracts, Crop Science Database, Environmental Impact, Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management, Field Crop Abstracts, Forest Products Abstracts, Forest Science Database, Forestry Abstracts, GEOBASE, Global Health, Grasslands and Forage Abstracts (Online), Helminthological Abstracts (Online), Horticultural Science Database, IBZ, INIS Atomindex (Online), Irrigation and Drainage Abstracts (Online)
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 0.6Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 1.9LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 1.9Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.25LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.25Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.44LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 0.44Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 38OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 428OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.8OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 9.62%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 15LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 74,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,737 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 | 11 | 2 |
| 2025 | 15 | 7 | 19 |
| 2024 | 13 | 8 | 19 |
| 2023 | 28 | 6 | 80 |
| 2022 | 38 | 4 | 178 |
| 2021 | 44 | 7 | 378 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
162 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 127 days – 270 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 66 days (38 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 220 days
- Sample
- 38 articles with submission and acceptance dates (41 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 35%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 44 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 76 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 71 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
Other charges and waivers (author guidelines)
- Page charges
- ZAR 250
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare1 items from the author guidelines
- Not considered
- Findings of a purely descriptive nature; review articles merely summarising established knowledge
Article types accepted5
- commentariesOriginal research papers, short communications, review articles, and commentaries on papers recently published will be considered for publication in the Journal…Length not stated
- editorialEditor-in-Chief Stephano Haarhof, Stellenbosch University, South Africa Associate EditorsTesfay Araya, University of the Free State, South Africa John Bower, Co…Length not stated
- original research papersOriginal research papers, short communications, review articles, and commentaries on papers recently published will be considered for publication in the Journal…Length not stated
- review articlesOriginal research papers, short communications, review articles, and commentaries on papers recently published will be considered for publication in the Journal…Length not stated
- short communicationsOriginal research papers, short communications, review articles, and commentaries on papers recently published will be considered for publication in the Journal…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
South African Journal of Plant and Soil is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the dis…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
Single anonymized peer review; online submission via ScholarOne Manuscripts. Model summary
All peer review is single anonymized and submission is online via ScholarOne Manuscripts.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 0257-1862
- Electronic ISSN
- 2167-034X
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 43, Issue 3 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about South African Journal of Plant and Soil
What CAS zone is South African Journal of Plant and Soil in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, South African Journal of Plant and Soil is in Zone 4 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Agronomy. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Agricultural & Forestry Sciences. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of South African Journal of Plant and Soil?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 0.6 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 1.9, h-index 38.
How long does peer review take at South African Journal of Plant and Soil?
Based on the dates recorded on 38 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 162 days (interquartile range 127–270 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 35%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of South African Journal of Plant and Soil based?
Of the 4 board members whose country the journal's board page names, none are in mainland China; the countries named most often are South Africa (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index South African Journal of Plant and Soil?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, South African Journal of Plant and Soil is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists CAB Abstracts; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is South African Journal of Plant and Soil open access, and what is the APC?
South African Journal of Plant and Soil is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .