NZJCHS Call for Papers: Special issue on advances in novel strategies to ameliorate biotic or abiotic stress induced oxidative stress in plants

Oxidative stress is considered as an imbalance between the generation and buildup of oxidants (oxygen and nitrogen reactive species (ROS/RNS)) and the antioxidant system's capacity to eliminate these reactive products. For crop and horticultural produce, oxidative stress can be generated both pre-harvest, through abiotic (salt, drought, heavy metals, nutritional, UV stress etc.) and biotic stresses (pathogen and pest attack), and during post-harvest handling. This ultimately causes yield and quality reductions in fruit, vegetable, and floriculture products.

Various strategies have been proposed to tackle the oxidative stress condition. Breeding of crops for oxidative stress tolerance is a time consuming and laborious task. As a convenient method, application of different protectants such as signaling molecules, nanoparticles, melatonin, biostimulants, and growth regulators offers a sustainable and cost-effective strategy to mitigate the oxidative stress condition both pre- and post-harvest.

To address knowledge gaps, this special issue of the New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science aims to acquire novel studies (research articles) and insightful reviews on the mitigation of oxidative stress via pre- and post-harvest applications (seed priming, foliar applications, etc.) of protectants with a special focus on achieving sustainability.

Submission Information

Please send a preliminary title, indicative author list and a short descriptive paragraph outlining the scope of your proposed manuscript to Managing Guest Editor, Dr Faisal Zulfiqar at ch.faisal.zulfiqar@gmail.com by 31 May 2025. Your Expressions of Interest will be considered by the guest editor team. 

Authors will be notified of the result and formally invited for full submission by 30 June 2025, while the final submission deadline is 31 December 2025, with the aim of getting the special issue formally published in mid-2026. Individual articles will be published online with a DOI before they appear in the special issue.

Acceptance for publication will depend on the outcome of the rigorous peer review process and authors meeting critical time schedules. It is important that your manuscript is prepared according to the Instructions for Authors of the New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science. Manuscripts should be submitted online through the journal’s submission system. Authors should select the relevant special issue title during the submission process.

There are no page charges or publication fees under the traditional subscription-based publishing model. Additionally, authors affiliated with a growing range of global institutions may be eligible to publish your articles Open Access at no cost to yourself.

Guest Editors

Faisal Zulfiqar Pl, PhD
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
Top 1% highly cited researcher 2024 (Web of Science Clarivate)

Anam Moosa, PhD
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Anastasios Darras, PhD
University of Peloponnese, Greece

For any inquiries regarding the special issue, please contact the guest editors via email at ch.faisal.zulfiqar@gmail.com (FZ) or anammoosa1@outlook.com (AM) or a.darras@uop.gr (AD). We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this special issue and to advancing the field of biotic and abiotic stress.