Provenance Identification of Leaves and Nuts of Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Color Parameters for Sustainable Extraction
, Helena Cristina Vieira 1, Tawani Lorena Naide 1, Rafaela Stange 1, Washington Duarte Silva da Silva 1, Deivison Venicio Souza 2, Natally Celestino Gama 2 and Márcia Orie de Souza Hamada 2
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis study investigated to evaluate the potential of VIS/NIR spectroscopy and color parameters to identify the origin of leaves and nuts with and without shell from Brazil nut trees growing in two indigenous villages, in the Xipaya Indigenous Lands, Pará state. I have great query about this work, and this paper has not reached the publication standard, which requires the author to do a lot of work to modify, detailed modification suggestions are as follows:
Abstract:
1. It is recommended to add some sentences summarizing the results of this study.
Introduction:
2. Line65: What does the phrase “In Altamira there is only one buyer for the nuts.” mean.
Materials and Methods:
2.1. Leaf Samples and Characterization
1. Line100-102: “A slingshot was used to shoot rocks into the canopy to knock down green leaves”, Does this method have previous research reference? Are fallen leaves guaranteed to be healthy?
2.3. Soil Samples
1. Line122: Why is the depth of the soil sample selected 0-0.2m.
3.6. Classification Tests
1. Line225-227: Is the data used in the k-NN classification model the re-collected sample data?
Results:
1. Figure 2: Are the multiples of the sample shot the same?
2. Line167-176: This paragraph describes the leaf samples in which region. It is suggested that if there are differences in the samples, you can put several sets of pictures for comparison or enlarge the difference points in the pictures.
3. Line211: The results of NIR experiments are indeed different. Can other samples be verified?
4. Line304: The prevalence of nuts in taxonomic tests was worse than that of other forest seeds, so why was this study conducted?
5. Line317-321: Are the time costs, technical costs and expenses required for the detection techniques used in this study applicable to actual marketing?
References:
1. Line338 and 352: The year and other documents are not in uniform format and are not bolded.
2. Line383, 404, 408, 410 and 412: The name of the journal and the year should be accompanied by ", ".
Author Response
Dear reviewer, authors thanks all sugestions and changes and responses are in attached text.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsDear editor：
The authors investigated the impact of NIR on the identification of the early provenance of the forest using VIS / NIR spectroscopy. Overall, this paper has a certain degree of innovation, but the authors need to explain some details and modify them. Some suggestions are as follows
- The model results need to be presented in the abstract.
-This paper describes the nondestructive testing technique, but the authors did not indicate why the technique was used. It also does not indicate the advantages and disadvantages of this technology over other detection methods. The author needs to give an explanation and revise it.
-The paper does not indicate why the colorimetric and near-infrared spectroscopy techniques were chosen. Need more explanations.-
- Please emphasize the innovation of this research.
- Leaf collection season? Local climate, humidity, etc? Please provide more details.
- Please provide more information on spectroscopic instruments used in this study.
-Please describe the algorithms used.
-Please provide the collected spectral information in image or text format.
-Please provide more details on the experimental methods for chemical experiments.
-What software is used for statistical methods?
-What is the evaluation method for the model? How to evaluate the error and stability of the model?
-How can the established model be applied in practice?
-In the discussion section, the correlation of the experimental data is explained, but no further discussion was conducted.
-The conclusion does not show the limitations of research. Conclusion can use one paragraph of text instead of multiple paragraphs.
-There are some formatting and grammar issues in the paper.
-Please modify the format of the references.
Author Response
Dear reviewer, authors thanks all sugestions and comments.
Attached the changes efetuated.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe study is about Provenance Identification of Leaves and Nuts of Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Color Parameters for Sustainable Extraction.It represents a main study in its field.The introduction provides sufficient background and includes all relevant references. All the cited references are relevant to the research. However, it is so long. Please shorten it.
The Figures are enough and good in quality.
While the study's methodology section is well described, as well as the results obtained including the statistical analysis, some improvement can be made in the manuscript.
The Color Parameters assay can be done using more recent methods.
What were the statistical methods??
What was the validation method?
What was the standard for the Classification Models?
The discussion is weak. Improve it using recent potent studies.
The conclusion section is brief and does not support the results. Please improve.
Author Response
Dear reviewer, authors thanks all sugestions and comments.
Attached the changes efetuated.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis study investigated to evaluate the potential of VIS/NIR spectroscopy and color parameters to identify the origin of leaves and nuts with and without shell from Brazil nut trees growing in two indigenous villages, in the Xipaya Indigenous Lands, Pará state. There are still some minor problems with the study, which will require the authors to revise it again and publish it as soon as it is completed.
2.3. Soil Samples
1. Line122: Why is the depth of the soil sample selected 0-0.2m.
Understanding what is the role of soil surface structure, understanding and distinguishing between different areas of soil should take samples of different soil dye depths?
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsAn important issue with supplementary materials：
discuss the current research status of spectral technology in your field in the introduction section. You need to refer to other literature. If there is no relevant research, then you need to emphasize the feasibility of your research. Please note that not just describing the advantages and disadvantages of spectroscopy.
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsIt can be accepted.
