Most journals (including those affiliated with organizations like the American Phytopathological Society) follow a version of this standard:
Authorship requires all of the following:
Substantial contribution to design, data, or analysis
Involvement in writing or critically revising the manuscript
Approval of the final version
Accountability for the work
If one of these is missing, the contribution usually belongs in acknowledgments, not authorship.
Drives the project end-to-end. Designs and executes experiments such as greenhouse trials, field plots, or in vitro nematode assays (e.g., inoculation studies, resistance screening, population counts).
Handles organism-specific work. Leads pathogen or nematode culturing, extraction (e.g., soil/root extraction techniques), identification (morphological and/or molecular), and maintenance of cultures.
Data collection & analysis. Collects disease severity ratings, nematode counts, yield impacts, and performs statistical analyses (often using mixed models for field data).
Molecular/diagnostic work (if applicable). Conducts PCR/qPCR, sequencing, or marker analysis for pathogen/nematode identification or host resistance studies.
Primary writer. Drafts most of the manuscript, including:
Materials & Methods (often very detailed in this field)
Results (figures like disease progress curves, nematode population densities)
Initial Discussion framing agricultural or biological significance
Figures & visuals. Prepares graphs (e.g., disease severity indices), microscopy images, and possibly field photos.
Project coordination. Integrates input from collaborators (e.g., breeders, statisticians, extension specialists).
Regulatory/field compliance awareness. Ensures proper handling of plant pathogens/nematodes, quarantine rules, and field trial permits if relevant.
Field trial collaborators
Provide land, manage plots, assist with planting/harvest.
Contribute to experimental design under real-world conditions.
Lab/technical contributors
Assist with nematode extraction, pathogen isolation, culturing, or assays.
Run molecular diagnostics or microscopy.
Data analysis/statistics experts
Help design experiments (e.g., randomized complete block designs).
Perform or advise on statistical modeling.
Subject-matter experts
Provide expertise in specific pathosystems (e.g., root-knot nematodes, fungal wilts).
Help interpret biological significance.
Plant breeders/geneticists
Contribute resistant/susceptible lines.
Help interpret host resistance or genetic data.
Extension specialists
Help frame results for applied/agricultural relevance.
Contribute to discussion on management implications.
Write or revise relevant sections (methods, interpretation, applied implications).
Critically review drafts for scientific accuracy.
Approve the final manuscript.
Take responsibility for their specific contributions.
Usually the principal investigator (PI) leading the lab.
Secures funding (grants tied to crop protection, nematology programs, etc.).
Provides overall study design guidance and ensures rigor.
Oversees compliance (biosafety, field trials, permits).
Mentors the first author (often a grad student or postdoc).
May contribute heavily to framing the discussion and positioning the work.
Often the PI, but sometimes the first author (especially for early-career researchers).
Handles submission to journals like Journal of Nematology/ American Phytopathological Society journals.
Manages reviewer responses and revisions.
Acts as long-term contact for the paper.
Authorship often reflects labor intensity: Field and greenhouse work along with design and interpretation fo results are valued contributions.
Methods sections are critical: Reproducibility depends heavily on detailed protocols (soil type, inoculum density, environmental conditions).
Applied relevance matters: Many papers emphasize implications for crop management, not just theory.
Multi-location studies: Papers may include many co-authors due to trials across regions.
Pathogen/nematode identification credit: Proper identification (especially molecular confirmation) is a significant authorship-worthy contribution.
Providing routine labor without intellectual input.
Supplying materials (e.g., seeds, isolates) without further contribution.
General supervision without direct involvement.
Performing standard nematode extractions, plating pathogens, or running assays strictly by protocol without contributing to experimental design or interpretation.
Greenhouse or growth chamber maintenance (watering, fertilizing, pest control).
Following instructions to collect disease ratings or soil samples without participating in analysis or interpretation.
Assisting with planting, harvesting, or plot maintenance in field trials.
Collecting samples across locations without helping design the sampling strategy or analyze outcomes.
Supplying seed lines, nematode populations, or pathogen isolates without further involvement.
Sharing greenhouse space, equipment, or lab access.
Running PCR/qPCR, sequencing, or soil assays as a service (e.g., a diagnostic lab processing samples).
Providing standard reports without contributing to experimental design or scientific interpretation.
Lab heads or supervisors who do not engage directly with the project’s design, data, or manuscript.
Administrative staff handling budgets, permits, or logistics.
Securing a grant but having no direct involvement in experiments, analysis, or writing.
Providing light edits (grammar, formatting, minor wording changes).
Offering general comments without shaping arguments or interpreting data.
Casual discussions, brainstorming ideas, or suggesting literature without sustained involvement.
Giving one-off advice on experimental setup without participating further.
Growers or extension agents who only provide access to fields or general observations.
Industry partners offering feedback but not contributing to study design or interpretation.
Recording disease severity scores or nematode counts without helping analyze or interpret trends.
Entering or managing datasets without contributing to statistical modeling or conclusions.
Microscopy, sequencing, or imaging done through a core facility with no intellectual collaboration.
Standardized outputs without customization or interpretation.