Root Reserves Ascertain Postharvest Sensitivity to Water Deficit of Nectarine Trees
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments to authors:
Here the authors study the sensitivity of the postharvest period of early-maturing nectarine trees and its fruits to different water stresses. This study is interesting, however, there are some limitations of the study as following details, and the authors need attention these aspects to address the concerns.
Detail comments：
1. The title should be changed with an appropriate title for research article, while this current title likes review article.
2. Line 10: this sentence should be rephrased. “the sensitivity of…to water stresses.” And the nectarine trees should be also shown with the Latin name.
3. Line 38: Peach should be also shown with the Latin name.
4. Citation format in text is not correct and should be superscripted.
5. For results presentation, if the authors can provide the images of nectarine trees and its fruits with water and drought treatments, it will be more informative and more convincing.
6. For all Tables, the line numbers and table bodies are overlapped (Tables 1-3), please edit the table format.
Author Response
Here the authors study the sensitivity of the postharvest period of early-maturing nectarine trees and its fruits to different water stresses. This study is interesting, however, there are some limitations of the study as following details, and the authors need attention these aspects to address the concerns.
Detail comments：
- The title should be changed with an appropriate title for research article, while this current title likes review article.
Following your advice, the title has been changed to “Root Reserves Ascertain Postharvest Sensitivity to Water Deficit of Nectarine Trees”. We agree the new title describes more appropriately our research article.
- Line 10: this sentence should be rephrased. “the sensitivity of…to water stresses.” And the nectarine trees should be also shown with the Latin name.
The sentence has been rephrased, now it reads: “This work studies the sensitivity of the postharvest period of early-maturing nectarine trees (Prunus persica L. Batsch, cv. Flariba) to water stresses.”
- Line 38: Peach should be also shown with the Latin name.
Both peach and nectarine belongs to the Rosacea family, sharing the same species name: Prunus persica. They only differ in the cultivar, which have different pomological characteristics affecting fruits quality traits (color, peel, ….).
- Citation format in text is not correct and should be superscripted.
We have used the template and followed the instruction given by the Agronomy-MDPI journal.
- For results presentation, if the authors can provide the images of nectarine trees and its fruits with water and drought treatments, it will be more informative and more convincing.
At the end of the Results section (page 17), a new Figure 11 has been included showing two photograph of the nectarine trees from T-0 and T-3 treatments. This was preceded by the paragraph: “The visual appearance of early-maturing Flariba nectarine trees from the T-0 (fully irrigated) and T-3 (severely stressed) treatments is shown in Figure 11 from pictures taken at the end of the late postharvest period (S2) (September, 2020). A greater defoliation can be observed in T-3 trees (Figure 11B).”
- For all Tables, the line numbers and table bodies are overlapped (Tables 1-3), please edit the table format.
This occurs after the conversion from Word file to .pdf format, and it is out of our duty.
The scientific English used in the manuscript has been revised by a native speaker (Mr. Philip Thomas), who revises most of the papers published by CEBAS-CSIC scientists and who, after re-reading the present paper, considers that any remaining faults will be minor and not interfere with understanding.
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript “Insights into Postharvest Sensitivity to Water Deficit in Nectarine Trees: Root Reserves” presents an interesting topic for readers of Agronomy. The manuscript is well written, correctly structured and the results shown are interesting.
I think that the authors should make a minor revision, improving the following points that I mention below.
Lines 75-76. Essential amino acids are those that the organism itself cannot synthesize on its own, therefore, L-arginine would not be an essential amino acid.
Line 107: correct “1o”
Lines 190-192: "The concentration of primary metabolites sugars and amino acids (aa) and organic acid compounds was analyzed". Describe the method used.
Line 192-193: “The concentration of primary metabolites sugars and amino acids (aa) and acidic organics were analyzed.” Indicate the filling characteristics of the equipment columns, temperatures, carrier flow, etc.
Line 257 “13C Spectra” correct superscript
Lines 263-266. Did they verify compliance with the requirements to perform the ANOVA? Add that information.
Figure 1B. The tracing in yellow color is not distinguishable.
Line 362 “NO 3-” correctly write the ion
Correct in table 1 to the nitrate ion
Change the header of tables 1 and 2, as not all variables fit those headers.
Table 3. The concentration units in Table 3 are missing.
Table 2. Do not use the unit ppm as it is not included in the international system of units.
Fig 5. Do not use the unit % as it is not included in the international system of units.
The authors could discuss with greater difference in valine concentration between treatments with some bibliographical reference.
Author Response
The manuscript “Insights into Postharvest Sensitivity to Water Deficit in Nectarine Trees: Root Reserves” presents an interesting topic for readers of Agronomy. The manuscript is well written, correctly structured and the results shown are interesting.
I think that the authors should make a minor revision, improving the following points that I mention below.
- Lines 75-76. Essential amino acids are those that the organism itself cannot synthesize on its own, therefore, L-arginine would not be an essential amino acid.
The word ‘essential’ has been removed.
- Line 107: correct “1o”
The degree quotation of the coordinates has been changed to 1o.
- Lines 190-192: "The concentration of primary metabolites sugars and amino acids (aa) and organic acid compounds was analyzed". Describe the method used.
It was a mistake. This sentence was moved at the beginning of the Section “2.10. NMR-Based metabolite analysis”, where the method used is described.
-Line 192-193: “The concentration of primary metabolites sugars and amino acids (aa) and acidic organics were analyzed.” Indicate the filling characteristics of the equipment columns, temperatures, carrier flow, etc.
All information is shown in the section 2.10. NMR-Based metabolite analysis (see above comment).
- Line 257 “13C Spectra” correct superscript
Done: 13C.
- Lines 263-266. Did they verify compliance with the requirements to perform the ANOVA? Add that information.
Yes, we verified it. The sentence has been included: “Previously, normal distribution and variance homogeneity of data were verified, complying with the ANOVA requirements”
- Figure 1B. The tracing in yellow color is not distinguishable.
The track of yellow color has been redrawing. Now it can be distinguishable.
- Line 362 “NO 3-” correctly write the ion
Done
- Correct in table 1 to the nitrate ion
Done
-Change the header of tables 1 and 2, as not all variables fit those headers.
Heading of Tables 1 and 2 has been revised, accordingly.
- Table 3. The concentration units in Table 3 are missing.
The units for amino acid have been included in the heading
- Table 2. Do not use the unit ppm as it is not included in the international system of units.
The unit ppm has been changed to IS (mg kg-1) in Table 2 and Figure 10.
- Fig 5. Do not use the unit % as it is not included in the international system of units.
The unit % has been changed to IS for each of the nutritional reserves analyzed: phosphorous (mg 100 g-1), starch (mg g-1), and L-arginine (nmol g-1) throughout the text of the manuscript, as well as the corresponding Figures (Fig. 5 and 6).
- The authors could discuss with greater difference in valine concentration between treatments with some bibliographical reference.
Following your advice, two sentences dealing with valine content under water stress conditions has been included in the Results and Discussion sections (see pages 15 and 19, respectively).
The scientific English used in the manuscript has been revised by a native speaker (Mr. Philip Thomas), who revises most of the papers published by CEBAS-CSIC scientists and who, after re-reading the present paper, considers that any remaining faults will be minor and not interfere with understanding.
