Can Nanofertilizers Mitigate Multiple Environmental Stresses for Higher Crop Productivity?
, Yousry Bayoumi 2, Yahya Eid 3, Heba Elbasiouny 4, Fathy Elbehiry 5, József Prokisch 6, Hassan El-Ramady 6,7 and Wanting Ling 8,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors added two sections "nano-fertilizers and agriculture" and "nano-nutrients and nano-fertilizers and their research gap", which is good. However, these two sections were not well incorporated into the mini-review. Most of the contents can be put in section 1 "Introduction". I truly suggest the author spend time reorganizing those parts and address some typos. Besides, there are several places that authors used quotes, but better to have a citation for each one.
Besides, discussion regarding mechanisms of alleviation effects of nano-fertilizer/nutrients are missing in sections 6 and 7. The authors only explained how stresses depressed plant growth, while studies/references of using nano-fertilizers to alleviate those multi-stresses were rarely discussed.
In the conclusion, the authors concluded that "the nano-fertilizers or nano-nutrients have some problems, resulting from high reactivity and variability and phytotoxicity to plants, and human health risks...". However, no relevant references/research were discussed in the previous text.
Author Response
Reviewer 1#
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
The authors added two sections "nano-fertilizers and agriculture" and "nano-nutrients and nano-fertilizers and their research gap", which is good. However, these two sections were not well incorporated into the mini-review. Most of the contents can be put in section 1 "Introduction". I truly suggest the author spend time reorganizing those parts and address some typos. Besides, there are several places that authors used quotes, but better to have a citation for each one.
Response: thanks! We considered the typos and quotes in the revised MS! The corrections are highlighted in yellow color, please!
we put the 2 parts in one section, the new structure of this section as follows:
- Nano-fertilizers and agriculture
2.1 Nano-fertilizers for crop production
2.2 Nanofertilizers vs traditional fertilizers
2.3 Industry of nano-fertilizers and its obstacles
2.4 Nanofertilizers for mitigation the stress on plants
2.5 Nano-fertilizers and their research gap
2.6 Nanofertilizers and phytotoxicity
2.7 Nanofertilizers and climate change
The corrections from lines 79 to 248 in the revised MS, please
Besides, discussion regarding mechanisms of alleviation effects of nano-fertilizer/nutrients are missing in sections 6 and 7. The authors only explained how stresses depressed plant growth, while studies/references of using nano-fertilizers to alleviate those multi-stresses were rarely discussed.
Response: in general, the studies, which handle the multiple-stress are rare (like ref. no. 19, 127, and 131) the reason may be due to the difficulty to explain what will be happened under multiple-stress especially under using the nano-fertilizers
As far as we know, no available published articles on the role of nanofertilizers on the cultivated plant under multiple stresses!
In general, the study of multiple stresses could be noticed on the model plant of Arabidopsis thaliana as published by Wang et al. (2021), whereas few published studies can be remarked on higher plants like García-Sánchez et al. (2020).
Figure 5 also was added for this concern!
The corrections from lines 412 to 432 in the revised MS, please
In the conclusion, the authors concluded that "the nano-fertilizers or nano-nutrients have some problems, resulting from high reactivity and variability and phytotoxicity to plants, and human health risks...". However, no relevant references/research were discussed in the previous text.
Response: We added the Figure no. 3, which includes different suggested mechanisms of phytotoxicity and we extended the sub-section of 2.6 Nanofertilizers and phytotoxicity
And the phytotoxicity to plants, and human health risks” was added to the revised MS including the suggested mechanism of toxic impacts in Figure 3 and more refs.
The corrections from lines 209 to 228 in the revised MS, please
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Refer to the attached file.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Reviewer 2#
The manuscript entitled “Can Nano-Nutrients Mitigate Environmental Multiple Stresses for Higher Crop Productivity?” submitted to sustainability needs some corrections and improvements. Below are my major and minor comments for the improvement of the manuscript.
Response: thanks!
- Generally, the manuscript needs English language professional editing as it has problems in
grammar and punctuation aspects.
Response: thanks, we tried to improve it again and will be also ready for editing the language by the journal as announced when the MS will be accepted!
- What are the difference between combined and multiple stresses? The authors classified the
stresses into three categories (individual, combined and multiple). There is no clear difference
between combined and multiple stresses.
Response: thanks! We mean based on the study, when the study focuses on one stress, this is individual, 2 stresses (combined stress like heat and drought stress) and multiple is meaning the study (ref.) is focusing on many stresses!
We concluded the main differences among individual, combined and multiple stress under applied nanofertilizers in figure 5
The corrections from lines 428 to 433 in the revised MS, please
- Malnutrition is not a key word in this manuscript. it is better to replace it.
Response: thanks! Deleted, thanks again!
- First mentioned abbreviation should be explained, then use abbreviation. Ex. PGPR in introduction.
Response: thanks! Done
- What do you mean by this sentence “In addition, the management of crop nutrition that could be achieved using nano-fertilizers by improving the crop productivity”?
Response: The sentence is corrected! thanks!
- Reconsider about these sentences “The studies recently publish about the nano-fertilizers from
different point of views such as the crucial impacts on soil, crop yield and the entire environment
[43], risks and benefits on soil rhizospheric and plant-associated microbial communities [42], nanofertilizers for sustainable agriculture, in addition to, enhancing crop production under abiotic/biotic stresses, [34,35, 36, 38, 41].” They do not have complete sense.
Response: thanks! Corrected and completed!
- The authors mentioned nano-fertilizer and nano-nutrient as same expressions as they are in the
introduction section, but in the section 3, they present them as two separate expressions. It is better to unify the terms throughout the manuscript.
Response: Done!! We used the term of nanofertilizers in all MS, thanks!
- It is well known that, the nutrients could be lost from agricultural fields through the leaching process and/or gaseous emissions, which may lead to the environmental pollution and climate changes. These previous environmental problems may be mitigated by… nutrient leaching and environmental pollution are not previous problems.
Response: corrected, to be issues not problems, thanks!
- Figure 1 does not make any important sense, it must delete from this manuscript.
Response: deleted, thanks! The figure 2 in the revised MS became no 4, it is also corrected to be fit, thanks!
- The authors mentioned the application of nano-nutrients under multiple stress in section 7, but did not cited any related article in this regards, however, they focused only to explain the multiple stresses.
Response: thanks! Added part in the revised MS, but we did not find any articles regarding the application of nano-nutrients under multiple stress, this is why we asked the reader or researchers for more concern this topic in the future!
- The authors selected the title as the effects of nano-nutrients on plants under multiple stresses, but throughout the manuscript they did not present articles to show whether they can mitigate multiple stresses on higher plant productivity or not.
Response: thanks! Added part in the revised MS, however, there are NOT any published to cite! The multiple -stresses represent the normal case in our life for plants or humans, that means plants or we suffer from multiple stresses, and the multiple stresses can be investigated under control not in the open field!! The mitigation of combined stresses for higher plant productivity is documented by many studies such as Lamaoui et al. (2018).
The corrections from lines 412 to 432 in the revised MS, please
- Authors should reconsider about the conclusion section; they should point out the important focal points and scientific achievements or contribution of nano-nutrients in the conclusion section.
Response: thanks! The conclusion was modified in the revised MS!
The corrections from lines 435 to 461 in the revised MS, please
- The authors should remove some unnecessary references and sentences (ex. The cited studies have confirmed the positive role of nano-nutrients on crop production under stress; however, this role under multiple stresses needs more investigation) in the conclusion section.
Response: thanks! Modified in the revised MS!
- Please recheck all references based on the guidance of the journal.
Response: thanks! We checked all the list of refs. in the revised MS!
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
please cross check for english grammar and ref style
Author Response
Reviewer 3#
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
please cross check for English grammar and ref style
Response: OK, thanks a lot! And the language editing will be done just accepted the MS
All refs. Were prepared according the instructions of the journal!
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
I don't have further comments/revisions. Thanks.
Reviewer 2 Report
The MS is improved well. All my comments are added in the MS. I have no more comments.
This manuscript is a resubmission of an earlier submission. The following is a list of the peer review reports and author responses from that submission.
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
What is the definition of nanotechnology?
What are the risks associated with each of the environmental and health areas and the negative effects of fine particles that are being studied?
What is the role of nano-nutrients in increasing the plant's ability to tolerant climate changes?
What are the problems facing the use of nanotechnology in agriculture?
Line 36 and o control?
What is the difference between nano-nutrients and nano-fertilizer?
Table 1 Just write the reference number
Reviewer 2 Report
- The title of the manuscript “Response of Crop Production under Multiple Stresses to Applied Nano-Nutrients” did not match with the literature reviewed in the manuscript as the authors also presented research of nano-fertilizer, and under individual stress and combined stresses.
- The basic chemistry principles and mechanisms operated behind the synthesis of nano-nutrients are lack and their elaboration with the help of suitable figures with self-explanatory legends will be useful for the readers. Obviously, figures 1 and 2 are not qualified.
- Authors should provide information on the advantages and limitations of nano-nutrients over conventional fertilizer along with appropriate references.
- Authors should provide information also on the toxic effects of nano-nutrients or at least optimal application rates/methods of its application
- Authors should include one complete section on the research gap related to nano-fertilizer development in stress alleviation.
- Legends of the figures should be well elaborated for better understanding.
- Strong proofreading of the manuscript is required as a lot of redundant sentences are in the manuscript.
Reviewer 3 Report
- Title can be more refined and concise.
- Article needs more refined approach in writing as well as content. The content is repetitive and doesn’t provide the deeper understanding of the topic.
- Although the authors have mentioned the positive influence of nano-nutrients on crop productivity, the numbers and detailed mechanism for the same are lacking.
- “The various stresses are most common in nature, but they still need several studies on different levels.” Refine the English.
- Heading “4. Applied nano-nutrients under combined stress” AND Heading “5. Applied nano-nutrients under multiple stresses” doesn’t provide the exact outlook for how the nano-nutrients manage or work to mitigate stresses and doesn’t entirely focus on the application of nano-nutrients. A detailed account for the same should be provided by the authors.
- Also, in heading 5, the questions asked could be answered by the author.
