Copyright & License

1. Copyright Ownership

Authors publishing in Plant Science Horizons retain full copyright of their work. The journal does not require authors to transfer copyright ownership. Instead, authors grant the publisher a non-exclusive license to publish, distribute, and archive the article in all forms and media.

This approach ensures that authors maintain control over their intellectual property while allowing the journal to disseminate the work widely and permanently.

2. License to Publish

By submitting and publishing in the journal, authors grant Plant Science Horizons the right to:

  • publish and distribute the article in electronic and digital formats
  • identify itself as the original publisher
  • archive the article in indexing and preservation systems
  • make the article publicly available through open access

This license is non-exclusive, meaning authors are free to reuse their work elsewhere, provided proper acknowledgment of the original publication is included.

3. Open Access License

All articles are published under the:

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Under this license:

Users are permitted to:

  • read, download, and share the article
  • distribute the work in any medium or format
  • use the work for non-commercial purposes

Users must:

  • give appropriate credit to the authors and the journal
  • provide a link to the license
  • indicate if the work is being shared unchanged

Users are not permitted to:

  • use the material for commercial purposes
  • modify, adapt, translate, or create derivative works
  • redistribute altered versions of the work

4. Author Rights

Authors retain extensive rights over their published work. Authors may:

  • share their article on personal or institutional websites
  • deposit the article in repositories (institutional or subject-based)
  • use the article for teaching, presentations, and academic purposes
  • include the work in theses, books, or future publications
  • distribute copies to colleagues

All reuse must include proper citation of the original publication and DOI.

5. Attribution Requirements

Any reuse of published content must include:

  • full citation of the article
  • names of the author(s)
  • journal name (Plant Science Horizons)
  • DOI or permanent link
  • reference to the Creative Commons license

Proper attribution ensures recognition of the original authors and maintains academic integrity.

6. Third-Party Content

Authors are responsible for obtaining permission to use any third-party material (such as figures, tables, or images) included in their manuscript.

Authors must ensure that:

  • permissions are obtained where required
  • proper acknowledgment is provided
  • the use complies with copyright laws

The journal is not responsible for unauthorized use of third-party content.

7. Licensing Transparency

The journal ensures that licensing terms are clearly displayed:

  • on each published article
  • within the article PDF
  • on the journal website

This transparency ensures that users understand their rights and responsibilities regarding reuse.

8. No Additional Restrictions

The journal does not apply any additional legal or technical restrictions that would limit the rights granted under the Creative Commons license.

Users are free to exercise their rights within the scope of the license without encountering barriers such as digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.

9. Publisher Responsibilities

The publisher is responsible for:

  • ensuring that licensing terms are correctly applied
  • maintaining accurate records of publication rights
  • supporting open access dissemination
  • protecting the integrity of the published work

10. Compliance with International Standards

Plant Science Horizons aligns its copyright and licensing practices with international standards for open access publishing and scholarly communication. The journal supports transparency, accessibility, and responsible reuse of published research.

11. Changes to Licensing Policy

Any changes to the licensing policy will be clearly communicated on the journal website. Previously published articles will remain under the license that was in effect at the time of publication.

12. Final Statement

By adopting a transparent and author-friendly copyright and licensing policy, Plant Science Horizons ensures that research is widely accessible while respecting the intellectual property rights of authors. The journal promotes responsible sharing, ethical reuse, and the global dissemination of scientific knowledge.