Stepping forward: Introducing new Managing Editors and Associate Editors at NZ Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science

We are delighted to announce that Dr Fran Doerflinger and Dr Brendon Malcolm will assume new positions as Managing Editors of the New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science (NZJCHS) supporting Dr Kevin Davies FRSNZ, who will continue serving as the Editor-in-Chief.

Pictured: Dr Kevin Davies, Editor-in-Chief

In 2023, NZJCHS received 356 submissions from authors in 47 countries and territories, making it one of our largest journals in terms of submissions and the most internationally diverse. Recognising the journal's rapid growth in recent years, the journal decided to establish the role of Managing Editors to fully unleash its potential in serving the crop and horticultural communities worldwide. This new editorial structure aims to enhance our capacity at the preliminary screening stage and allows Dr Kevin Davies to focus on strategic oversight for journal development and team management.

Fran, who completed her PhD in Postharvest Science at Cornell University in 2015, has been with Plant and Food Research, Australia since 2018, with a focus on value chain improvements in international development projects in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. She’s currently leading the plant science research in the Pacific special issue.

Brendon gained his PhD in soil science at Lincoln University in 2014 and is currently a Senior Scientist and a Team Leader for Soil Function & Health at the Plant and Food Research, Lincoln office. His primary area of research is on reducing environmental impacts from cropping systems.

Both Fran and Brendon will begin their new roles immediately, working closely with the Editor-in-Chief, the expanded editorial board, and the publishing team at Royal Society Te Apārangi to provide fast and high-quality editorial services to our global authors.

Additionally, we warmly welcome eight new Associate Editors to the team, bringing much-needed expertise and fresh perspectives to the journal:

• Dr Eduardo Dias de Oliveira – Plant & Food Research, New Zealand
• Dr Syed Bilal Hussain – University College Dublin, Ireland
• Dr Paula Ibell – Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers, Australia
• Dr Vinay Pagay – University of Adelaide, Australia
• Dr Sulav Paudel – AgResearch, New Zealand
• Dr Lucia Ramos Romero – Plant & Food Research, New Zealand
• Assistant Professor Teng Yang – Kansas State University, United States
• Associate Professor Tibin Zhang – Northwest A&F University, China

Dr Kevin Davies, Editor-in-Chief, said: "We now have a very strong editorial board that will both spread the workload of handling manuscripts and raise the profile of the journal worldwide. Growing both total submissions and final publication numbers should continue to raise our international profile. The citation impact and usage for NZJCHS have increased significantly over the last few years, and I am sure we can continue to add to that positive momentum."

This marks an exciting time for the journal, and we congratulate Fran and Brendon on their recent appointments. We are also keen to welcome our newest cohort of Associate Editors and support them in their new roles.

We are confident that these changes, along with the refreshed board, will enhance the journal's width and depth and foster stronger representation across different regions of the world. This will ensure the continued evolution and success of NZJCHS, ultimately leading to an ever-increasing profile both in Aotearoa New Zealand and on the international stage.