APPS SPECIAL ISSUE CALL FOR PAPERS:
“Emerging methods in botanical DNA/RNA extraction”

Applications in Plant Sciences (APPS), the Botanical Society of America’s open access journal highlighting new tools and protocols across the plant sciences, is organizing a special issue titled, “Emerging methods in botanical DNA/RNA extraction.”

The goal of this special issue is to present a collection of articles that illustrate the current state of knowledge in nucleic acid extractions, key challenges, and creative innovations that have developed to circumvent these challenges and unlock botanical insights. We encourage the submission of a variety of manuscript types including reviews, software, protocols, as well as the application of a new method to answer a biological question. Our intention is to disseminate a broad collection of manuscripts that address many aspects of nucleic acids in botanical research; however, some areas of special interest include:

  • Extracting and analyzing DNA from herbarium specimens
  • The challenges and best practices in sampling and extracting nucleic acids (especially RNA) in field-collected specimens (be it challenges related to quality/degradation, or obtaining material, or an aspect of the organism’s natural history)
  • Collecting and working with high-molecular-weight DNA
  • Extracting DNA with challenging levels and/or types of secondary metabolites
  • Single-cell extractions
  • Working with extractions that have been in long-term storage
  • Studies looking at environmental DNA (eDNA), endophytes, and other plant-associated microbiomes

How to submit: Authors interested in contributing to this special issue should email a proposal consisting of a tentative title, proposed author list, and a 200–300-word abstract to the APPS editorial office (apps@botany.org).

The deadline for proposal submission is April 15, 2022. Proposals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and the special issue editors. Authors will be notified by April 28, 2022, as to whether their proposal was accepted. The Botanical Society of America and its publications are committed to inclusive science that reflects disciplinary, human, and geographic diversity. Submissions are welcomed from applicants of all ethnicities, races, colors, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, socioeconomic status, national origins, disabilities, ages, or other individual status.

Authors whose proposals are accepted should submit their manuscript by September 1, 2022. Note that acceptance of a proposal does not guarantee the eventual acceptance of the manuscript, as all manuscripts will be rigorously peer-reviewed and held to the standards of the journal. The target date for publication of the special issue is early 2023.

Reduced article publication charges (at the BSA member rate) are available for papers accepted for publication in the special issue. For more information about journal scope, article types, and manuscript preparation, please see the Author Guidelines. Any questions may be sent to the APPS editorial office (apps@botany.org).

Best wishes,

Ed McAssey (University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa)
Nora Mitchell (University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire)
Special Issue Editors


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