Managing Editor's Report

Only two years have passed since the initial meeting in June of 1997 at which representatives of the research community decided to form a peer-reviewed scientific journal concerning all disciplines of cotton science. Since sending out the initial Call for Papers, forty manuscripts have been published online in seven issues of the Journal of Cotton Science.

The initial Call for Papers (July of 1997) for the inaugural issue of the Journal of Cotton Science resulted in 50 manuscripts being submitted for consideration by the 13 technical editors. Of those 50 papers, nine were published in the first issue (December 1997) of JCS. Some of the 1997 manuscripts were subsequently published in 1998 issues. Total acceptance rate for 1997 submissions was 50%.

In 1998, we received 38 manuscripts steadily over the year and posted four issues of the Journal of Cotton Science online. All disciplines added at least one alternate technical editor. Insect Research and Control was renamed Arthropod Management. Total acceptance rate for 1998 submissions was 34%.

As of the end of August of 1999, we have published two issues in Volume 3 (1999) of the Journal of Cotton Science and have received 45 manuscripts for consideration. Sixteen of these manuscripts have been through peer review. The rate of acceptance for processed manuscripts is currently 50%. Manuscripts still in peer review (pending) account for 64% of those received to date.

Additional alternate technical editors were added to several disciplines and some of the original technical editors rotated off the Editorial Board. Disciplines that changed names and/or reorganized included Cotton and Other Organic Dusts (now Organic Dusts), Cotton Improvement (split into two disciplines –Molecular Biology and Breeding & Genetics), Disease (now Plant Path & Nematology), Soils & Plant Nutrition (now Soils), and Quality Measurements and Textile Processing (merged into Textile Technology).