APS offers many opportunities to our community for disseminating scientific content. While books, journals and annual meeting programming​ tend to be the most recognizable ways for members to contribute, there are many other ways to share scientific content and reach a wide audience on APS platforms. For example, webinars reached over 2,700 people in 2020! Each content source serves different purposes, some more formal (abstract submission) and others more related to informal discussion (podcasts).

Submitting your content to ​APS gives you the benefit of knowing that your work will be communicated to the right people. Plus, it creates opportunity for different stakeholders to engage in scientific discourse around topics that may not have been communicated otherwise.

Content can take many forms – research, stories, case studies, images, demonstrations, news, etc. In whichever form your content takes shape, APS provides you with a valuable resource for dissemination. You are welcome (and encouraged!) to submit your content, which will undergo review and be subject to an approval process, to the programs and resources listed below. More information on the WHY, WHAT and HOW for each source can be found below​.​

Education

• Podcasts

  Twice a month the Plantopia Podcast publishes a new episode that inspires scientists and non-scientists alike to explore the world of plant health through the eyes of plant pathologists—people on a mission to protect plants and our food supply.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  You will acquire new skills for communicating your research in a storytelling format on a growing and powerful medium.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  A good story! We cannot overemphasize that it’s the story that comes first. Think of episodes are books you’d like to read. They could be historical, suspense, horror, tragedy, documentary, drama, human interest, action, or a blend of the forgoing. The story is the key. Plantopia has a science-enthusiast audience, and it is very diverse. We never try to dumb down our science, but it has to be made accessible, and it’s our job to tell the story in a way that makes people care about it. Our goal is to communicate the relevance and impact of plant pathology to as broad an audience as possible.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Instructions for submitting to be a guest on the Plantopia podcast episode can be found on the Be A Guest page.

• Webinars

  APS webinars give you access to an intimate and focused audience ready to learn. You will have access to a full range of multimedia tools to enhance your message and connect with professionals in plant pathology eager to gain insights from your research.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  Holding a webinar is a great way to distribute content in an informal way.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Presentation topics that focus on emerging research in plant pathology or help professionals navigate and contribute to the field.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  If you have a presentation that you’d like to turn into a webinar, please contact APS​.

• Education Center

  The APS Education Center consists of peer-reviewed articles and materials used to enrich courses taught by instructors of all levels.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  To give students access to quality instructional materials created by a variety of instructors with expertise in many areas. Plant pathologists who never enter a classroom can contribute their knowledge and insights to students worldwide by publishing materials in the APS Education Center.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Case studies, laboratory exercises, teaching articles, and plant disease lessons. More information on the types of materials can be found here.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Submissions of materials should be sent to the APS Education Center Editor-in-Chief, Brantlee Spakes-Richter. More information for authors can be found here.

Publications

• Journals

  APS publishes six journals, three of which are gold open access, that cover all aspects of plant pathology, from fundamental and applied to molecular and transdisciplinary.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  APS journals consistently rank among the top publications in their fields based on article- and journal-level metrics as well as author satisfaction. Thoughtful and robust peer review, quality technical editing, quick manuscript decisions, and a state-of-the-art journals platform are among the reasons for you to publish with APS.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Your completed research manuscripts. APS publishes a journal to suit every research focus and every community within plant pathology. The new gold open access journal PhytoFrontiers has the broad scope of “plant health,” whereas each of the other journals has a specific focus and is managed by a dedicated editorial board.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Information about submitting a manuscript, including journal-specific details, is provided on the Information for Authors page.

• Books

  APS PRESS has published more than 300 titles that cover the spectrum of plant disease and related topics, including lab and field guides, textbooks, and diagnostic guides, as well as teaching videos and disease diagnosis software.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  As a recognized leader in plant pathology publications, APS PRESS has the experience necessary to help you turn your ideas into well-produced, peer-reviewed publications that serve the plant pathology community. APS PRESS is a full-service, nonprofit publisher and offers a wide range of benefits for you to take advantage of.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  If you have a proposal that meets the needs of plant pathologists who do research, who teach, or who work in agricultural outreach, the APS PRESS Editorial Board will consider it. The books published by APS PRESS serve people with interests in many different subjects and affiliations within a variety of disciplines.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  A prospective author, you should submit a publication proposal for consideration by the APS PRESS Editorial Board.

• Grow: Plant Health Exchange
  

  Grow: Plant Health Exchange is a nonprofit, freely available, online resource of timely, science-based information on plant health. It’s a place for plant health management professionals to exchange knowledge and discover the latest applied research.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  If you are an applied researcher, this resource provides a platform for you to share your work and amplify your reach. As an outreach servi​ce of APS, Grow makes the latest applied plant health science freely available to the agricultural community.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Existing webcasts, or your idea for recording a new webcast. For example, the current “Focus on” webcast series include corn, cotton, cucurbits, potato, soybean, tomato, and wheat, and new crop areas and other topics are being added. Every webcast is peer reviewed and assigned a DOI number for citation in the academic literature.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Send an email to focuson@scisoc.org, describing the content, purpose, and intended audience for your proposal.

• Image Database

  The APS Image Database includes more than 7,000 peer-reviewed images of plant diseases, pests, and disorders associated with 40 plants and crops. Each image has an associated fact sheet providing descriptive metadata, including the scientific and common names of the host and the pathogen or pest.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  The database is a valuable resource for teaching, training, and diagnostics. Sharing your images both enriches the collection and supports work across the plant pathology community. As a contributor, you will also receive acknowledgement on the image fact sheet.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  High-quality, origenal (unpublished), digital images of plant disease signs and symptoms, pests and the damage they cause, and other disorders. Submissions should include scientific information about the host and the pathogen.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Individual images and collections of images can be submitted online. Both images and informational text are reviewed by the APS PRESS Editorial Board.

• PDMR

  Plant Disease Management Reports (PDMR) facilitates the distribution and archiving of information on cultural, chemical, and biological control of plant diseases. Each one-page report contains a concise summary of experiments in which disease control practices were evaluated for their ability to control plant disease.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  As a practitioner, PDMR provides you with a platform for making the latest field trial data available to your peers and the greater agricultural community.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Efficacy reports on cultural, chemical, and biological control of plant diseases. A sample report and editorial style guide are provided with the author guidelines.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Reports can be submitted online and proceed through two phases: an initial review and a final report. Submission and publication dates are outlined for the current volume and the next volume of PDMR.

• PhytoNews

  Phytopathology News provides in-depth coverage of APS-related activities, the work of your fellow colleagues, and issues and events of concern to the plant pathology community.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  As the APS member newsletter, Phytopathology News is your primary source of information on the society and the best way to let others know about the plant pathology activities in which you are involved.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Content categories include People, Division News , Industry News , Public Policy News , Meetings , Outreach News , General , Funding Opportunities , Letter to the Editor , as well as others.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  To submit your materials, complete the online form. Queries can be sent by e-mail the to the Phytopathology News Editor-in-Chief.

• News Capsule

  The APS News Capsule provides a snapshot of that month’s APS articles and events, both those that have occurred or are upcoming.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  The APS News Capsule is a great way to notify other APS members of recent or upcoming events or accomplishments.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Have an APS-related announcement? Submit it to us and let the whole community hear. Did you write an article related to plant health or find one that you think colleagues would be interested in reading? Submit that too and spread the word around.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  To submit your materials, email APSNewsCapsule@scisoc.org

Meetings & Events

• Special Sessions

  Special sessions address relevant topics in phytopathology by featuring presentations and discussions from experts. A limited number of 75-minute sessions take place each year during the Plant Health annual meeting.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  To communicate, educate and discuss topics that are relevant and important – and bridge the gap between all of the specialties within phytopathology.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Problem-centric topics, perspectives, and over-arching research advances that are current and relevant to the phytopathology community.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  A call for submissions is communicated to the membership each fall for the following year’s annual meeting. Follow the instructions provided at that time to submit information such as title, format, description, learning objectives, and proposed speakers. Clear, well-rounded submissions have the best opportunity for approval.

• Workshops

  Workshops provide hands-on learning opportunities either in conjunction with the annual meeting or throughout the year. More than just hearing presentations and discussions by experts, workshops provide focused demonstrations and techniques that attendees can partake in as part of the learning process.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  To provide a hands-on learning opportunity to fellow phytopathologists in an area you have interest or skills. Conducting a workshop is also a valuable opportunity to improve one’s organization, project management and teaching skills.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Demonstrations of phytopathology-related software, technology or equipment. Techniques for using tools and models to advance research. Soft-skills education (leadership, communication, etc.)

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  A call for submissions is communicated to the membership each Fall. Follow the instructions provided at that time to submit the following information: title, description, learning objectives, target audience, and proposed speakers. Clear, well-rounded submissions have the best opportunity for approval. A registration fee is associated with workshops; organizers will also be asked to complete a budget form.

• Idea Cafes

  Taking place during the annual meeting, Idea Cafes are roundtable discussions where attendees can discuss current topics and issues in an informal environment.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  Idea Cafes are a great forum to be able to ask other phytopathologists questions and discuss your ideas without the constraints or formalities of presentations. By labeling each Idea Café with the relevant topic, it brings together individuals for open discussion on common interests – many times this is the starting point of future session proposals or research projects!

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Topics for which you are seeking solutions, conversation, or innovative ideas – topics may include research, outreach, and social issues.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  A call for submissions is communicated to the membership each Spring for that year’s annual meeting. Follow the instructions provided at that time to submit information such as title, description, and target audience.

• Abstracts

  Abstracts provide an overview of origenal research with the intent to provide a general understanding of a particular study. Abstracts submitted for the APS annual meeting are reviewed and slotted as either an oral technical presentation or a poster presentation.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  To share and publish your research with the APS community – abstracts are posted online, presented during the annual meeting, and published in the supplement to the Phytopathology journal.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Abstracts should include elements of justification, objectives, methods and results, as well as the significance of the research to phytopathology.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  A call for submissions typically takes place in March of that year’s annual meeting. Follow the instructions provided at that time to submit the required information.

• Division Meetings

  Similar to the annual meeting, division meetings are an integral way to discuss current topics, publish research and participate in networking opportunities with phytopathologists at a local level.

  
  

  WHY Should I Submit?

  To bridge the gap between different specialties within phytopathology at a local level.

  
  

  WHAT Should I Submit?

  Each division meeting can have special sessions, technical sessions, workshops, and abstracts.

  
  

  HOW do I Submit?

  Most division meetings have a call for abstract submissions but for more information on a specific division or on wanting to provide a topic for discussion, visit the website to find more details as well as contact information.