Soil and Mineral Nutrients in Plant Health: A Prospective Study of Iron and Phosphorus in the Growth and Development of Plants
, Awdhesh Kumar Mishra 2,†, Sheezma Nazir Shah 1, Mudasir Ahmad Bhat 1, Saima Jan 1, Safikur Rahman 3, Kwang-Hyun Baek 2,* and Arif Tasleem Jan 1,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe review article entitled "Soil and Mineral Nutrients in Plant Health: A Multifaceted Interaction of Iron and Phosphorus in the Growth and Development of Plants" is well-organized and will be acceptable after some revisions.
1) Title: Authors explain biofertilizers, so this word may be included in the title. For example, " Soil and Mineral Nutrients in Plant Health: A Multifaceted Interaction of Iron and Phosphorus in the Growth and Development of Plants with microbial activity".
2) Abstract: The sentence "The mineral elements belonging to both macro (e.g., phosphorus (p)) and micro (e.g., iron (Fe)) category serves as important components of biological macromolecules, besides driving major cellular processes including photosynthesis and respiration, and performing the function as a cofactor for enzymes of the vital metabolic pathways." is somewhat strange. It may be revised such as "Phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) are macro and micronutrient, and P serves as important components of biological macromolecules, besides driving major cellular processes including photosynthesis and respiration, and Fe performs the function as a cofactor for enzymes of the vital metabolic pathways."
3) Introduction: P3 "Given the UN sustainability goal of zero hunger," please show the full spell of UN.
4) Figure 1, 2: Please add the full spells of abbreviations in the captures of figures, such as MA, PS etc. Please add the term H+ pump.
5) 2.1.2 P7 : Please change Arabidopsis thaliana in italic.
6) 4.1 p16: "chloroplastto" to "chloroplast to".
7) 4.2 p17: 4 in NH4+ should be lower case.
Please delete "different" from " α-ketoglutarate and glutamine are converted into two different molecules of glutamate". Because two molecules of glutamate are not different.
"amylase invertase" may be "amylase, invertase"
8) 4.3 This section needs more new information. the references in 1929 and 1921 are very old.
9) 6.1, p20: Concerning to " the germination peaked at a 100 M Fe supply" 100 M seems too high, probably, 100 microM？
10）6.2、P21：500M is too high in ”Maximum yield loss was noted at 500 M Fe supply. Please confirm the original reference.
Comments on the Quality of English Language
English is good.
Author Response
Comment 1) Title: Authors explain biofertilizers, so this word may be included in the title. For example, " Soil and Mineral Nutrients in Plant Health: A Multifaceted Interaction of Iron and Phosphorus in the Growth and Development of Plants with microbial activity".
Response: The title has been changed (modified).
Comment 2) Abstract: The sentence "The mineral elements belonging to both macro (e.g., phosphorus (p)) and micro (e.g., iron (Fe)) category serves as important components of biological macromolecules, besides driving major cellular processes including photosynthesis and respiration, and performing the function as a cofactor for enzymes of the vital metabolic pathways." is somewhat strange. It may be revised such as "Phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) are macro and micronutrient, and P serves as important components of biological macromolecules, besides driving major cellular processes including photosynthesis and respiration, and Fe performs the function as a cofactor for enzymes of the vital metabolic pathways."
Response: The sentence has been corrected as advised by the reviewer.
Comment 3) Introduction: P3 "Given the UN sustainability goal of zero hunger," please show the full spell of UN.
Response: Corrected
Comment 4) Figure 1, 2: Please add the full spells of abbreviations in the captures of figures, such as MA, PS etc. Please add the term H+ pump.
Response: Done
Comment 5) 2.1.2 P7 : Please change Arabidopsis thaliana in italic.
Response: Correction done
Comment 6) 4.1 p16: "chloroplastto" to "chloroplast to".
Response: Correction done
Comment 7) 4.2 p17: 4 in NH4+ should be lower case.
Response: Correction done
Please delete "different" from " α-ketoglutarate and glutamine are converted into two different molecules of glutamate". Because two molecules of glutamate are not different. "amylase invertase" may be "amylase, invertase"
Response: Correction done
Comment 8) 4.3 This section needs more new information. the references in 1929 and 1921 are very old.
Response: The information has been added with citations to recent literature
Comment: 9) 6.1, p20: Concerning to " the germination peaked at a 100 M Fe supply" 100 M seems too high, probably, 100 microM？
Response: Correction done
Comment 10）6.2、P21：500M is too high in ”Maximum yield loss was noted at 500 M Fe supply. Please confirm the original reference.
Response: Correction done
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis is a review paper on the importance of P and Fe in plant nutrition.
1. The title of the manuscript can be changed (see manuscript).
2. Keywords should directly inform the content of the work?
3. In my opinion, the content of Charter 5 and 6 should be included in Chapters 2 (applicable to Fe) and 3 (applicable to P).
4. Toxicity results from an excess of a particular component. Meanwhile, in Chapter 6 there is nothing about excess Fe, the authors write only about deficiencies of this component. From the title of the chapter, it seems that there should be content on phosphorus - I found nothing on P. Similarly, there is no content on phosphorus in the following subchapters: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 o 6.4.
5. The conclusions are general observations and do not follow from the text of the manuscript.
6. The manuscript gives such units: mg L, mg/L mmol/L, mg L-1, mg/kg. Units should be given in the SI system, e.g. mg dm-3, mmol dm-3 or mg kg-1.
7. Is it necessary to use Pi instead of P. The symbol for phosphorus is P and that should suffice. I understand that the authors wanted to emphasize that it is inorganic phosphorus, but overall, plants take up phosphorus in mineral forms.
Author Response
Comment 1: The title of the manuscript can be changed (see manuscript).
Response: The title has been modified.
Comment 2: Keywords should directly inform the content of the work?
Response: Information updated.
Comment 3: In my opinion, the content of Charter 5 and 6 should be included in Chapters 2 (applicable to Fe) and 3 (applicable to P).
Response: The information has been presented under a separate heading as per the suggestion.
Comment 4: Toxicity results from an excess of a particular component. Meanwhile, in Chapter 6 there is nothing about excess Fe, the authors write only about deficiencies of this component. From the title of the chapter, it seems that there should be content on phosphorus - I found nothing on P. Similarly, there is no content on phosphorus in the following subchapters: 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 o 6.4.
Response: Information has been added in respective sections.
Comment 5: The conclusions are general observations and do not follow from the text of the manuscript.
Response: The conclusion has been re-written and updated.
Comment 6: The manuscript gives such units: mg L, mg/L mmol/L, mg L-1, mg/kg. Units should be given in the SI system, e.g. mg dm-3, mmol dm-3or mg kg-1.
Response: The same units are acceptable as per the journal guidelines.
Comment 7: Is it necessary to use Pi instead of P. The symbol for phosphorus is P and that should suffice. I understand that the authors wanted to emphasize that it is inorganic phosphorus, but overall, plants take up phosphorus in mineral forms.
Response: Necessary changes done.
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear authors, the manuscript has been revised almost in accordance with my comments. Unfortunately, I still have one small comment. Please go through the conclusions. I have the impression that the main theme of this part of the manuscript is biofertilisers. Meanwhile, in the entire manuscript, biofertilisers are only devoted to such a small section, and I quote ".... As a practical application of this symbiotic relationship, biofertilisers containing phosphate-solubilising bacteria have been developed. Farmers can use these biofertilizers to enhance fertility of soil and promote growth of plants in an environmentally sustainable manner (Kumar et al., 2021). " I recall that the manuscript mainly deals with the importance of P and Fe in plant nutrition
Author Response
Authors would like to thank the reviewer for the suggestions. Authors have revised the conclusion sections strictly as per the suggestion.
