AGRITROP: Journal of Agricultural Sciences is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, research integrity, and ethical publishing practices. The journal requires all submitted manuscripts to represent original scientific work and prohibits plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, and unethical reuse of previously published materials.

AGRITROP follows internationally recognized publication ethics principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to ensure responsible authorship, transparency, accountability, and integrity throughout the publication process (COPE, Core Practices).

All authors submitting manuscripts to AGRITROP are responsible for ensuring that their work is original, properly referenced, ethically conducted, and free from inappropriate duplication or misrepresentation of previous research.

Similarity Screening and Plagiarism Detection

All submitted manuscripts undergo similarity checking before entering the peer-review process.

AGRITROP conducts plagiarism screening using recognized similarity detection software, including Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent plagiarism detection tools, as part of the initial editorial screening process.

The similarity checking procedure follows the academic integrity requirements established by Universitas Muhammadiyah Jember, with the following criteria:

• The overall similarity index of the manuscript must not exceed 20%;
• The similarity contribution from a single source must not exceed 2%.

Similarity reports are used as an important editorial evaluation tool to identify potential plagiarism, excessive text overlap, inappropriate text recycling, and other forms of publication misconduct.

Similarity percentages are not interpreted automatically. Editorial decisions are based on professional assessment of the source of similarity, location and distribution of overlapping text, nature and context of similarity, level of originality and scientific contribution, and compliance with publication ethics standards.

AGRITROP recognizes that similarity detection tools assist editors in identifying potential ethical issues but cannot replace expert editorial judgment in determining whether plagiarism or inappropriate reuse has occurred (COPE, Core Practices).

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use or presentation of another person's ideas, words, data, methods, results, or intellectual contributions as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying text, figures, tables, images, or data from published or unpublished sources without proper citation;
• Presenting another person's ideas, concepts, methods, or findings as original work;
• Using substantial portions of previously published materials without appropriate acknowledgment or permission;
• Failure to properly acknowledge sources contributing significantly to the manuscript;
• Self-plagiarism or text recycling without transparent disclosure;
• Duplicate or redundant publication of substantially similar research findings.

AGRITROP considers plagiarism and unethical reuse of published materials as serious violations of research and publication integrity.

Similarity Evaluation Criteria

The Editorial Board evaluates similarity reports carefully because not all detected similarities represent plagiarism.

The following types of similarity are generally considered acceptable when properly cited:

• References and bibliography entries;
• Standard scientific terminology;
• Commonly used methodological descriptions;
• Institutional names;
• Technical expressions widely accepted within a scientific field.

However, substantial similarity involving research findings, scientific arguments, unique explanations, original interpretations, or uncited text from other sources may be considered plagiarism or unethical text reuse.

Each manuscript is evaluated individually based on available evidence and responsible scholarly publishing principles.

Self-Plagiarism, Text Recycling, and Duplicate Publication

Authors must not submit manuscripts that substantially overlap with previously published articles or manuscripts currently under review by another journal.

Self-plagiarism includes the inappropriate reuse of an author's own previously published material without proper disclosure or citation.

AGRITROP follows COPE recommendations regarding responsible handling of text recycling and redundant publication practices (COPE, Text Recycling Guidelines).

Editorial Assessment and Decision Process

When potential plagiarism or publication misconduct is identified, the Editorial Office conducts an investigation before making a final decision.

The investigation may include:

• Reviewing similarity detection reports;
• Examining original source materials;
• Requesting clarification from authors;
• Consulting editors, reviewers, or relevant institutions when necessary.

Depending on the severity of the issue, AGRITROP may request revision, require acknowledgment of sources, return manuscripts for rewriting, reject manuscripts, notify institutions, restrict future submissions, or issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions when misconduct is identified after publication.

AGRITROP follows COPE procedures for handling allegations of misconduct and correcting or retracting published research when necessary (COPE, Retraction Guidelines).