The Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition (JSSPN), a scientific journal owned by the Chilean Soil Science Society and published by the Universidad de La Frontera in partnership with Springer Nature, has recorded an increase in its impact factor, reaching 3.6. This achievement reflects the growing international influence and visibility of the research published by the journal.
The impact factor is an internationally recognised metric used to measure how frequently articles published in a journal are cited by other scientific publications. In this regard, the increase achieved by JSSPN demonstrates that the research it publishes is being used as a reference by the international scientific community.
The journal covers fields including soil science, plant nutrition, agriculture and environmental sciences, disciplines that play a crucial role in addressing global challenges related to food security, the sustainability of production systems and environmental conservation.
A Scientific Community Driving Its Growth
Its international standing is also reflected in other performance indicators. During 2025, the journal recorded more than 788,000 article downloads and currently publishes more than 500 papers each year, maintaining sustained growth in its editorial indicators and international presence.
In this context, Dr María de la Luz Mora, editor-in-chief of the journal, said: “Achieving this impact factor is an enormous source of pride. This is a journey that has developed over approximately 15 years and has made a significant contribution to the University, the La Araucanía Region, Chile and the Chilean Soil Science Society”.
She also highlighted the collaborative effort underpinning these achievements. “I would like to congratulate everyone who has contributed to this development. Thanks to this collective effort, we have achieved these indicators and established a journal that is a great source of pride for Chile in the fields of soil science and plant nutrition.”
Science Produced in Southern Chile with Global Reach
Published by the Universidad de La Frontera, JSSPN has strengthened its position within a highly competitive landscape in which scientific journals from around the world seek to expand their reach and impact within their respective fields of knowledge.
According to Dr Patricio Barra, associate editor of the journal, this achievement confirms the standing the journal has attained within the international scientific community. “This demonstrates that a journal published in southern Chile can engage at the highest level with the global scientific community while maintaining standards of quality, rigour and relevance in fields as important as soil science and plant nutrition.”
He added: “For the Universidad de La Frontera, and for Chile, this achievement has profound significance. It is more than a metric; it is a sign of the decentralisation of knowledge. It shows that scientific leadership, international collaboration and contributions to global discussions can also emerge from the regions, from La Araucanía and from the farthest reaches of the world.”
For her part, Dr Rayen Millaleo, associate editor of the journal, explained: “Our objective has always been to strengthen scientific quality and optimise our editorial processes in order to enhance the journal’s international visibility and ensure that this progress is sustained over time. The increase in its impact factor reflects the recognition of the international scientific community and is the result of the collaborative work carried out by our editorial team, authors and reviewers.”
Francisca Gómez
Vice Rectorate for research and postgraduate
