Plant Biostimulants Increase the Agronomic Performance of Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) in Northern Apennine Range
, Federica Caradonia 1,*, Domenico Ronga 2,*, Mortadha Ben Hassine 1, Eleonora Truzzi 3, Stefania Benvenuti 3 and Enrico Francia 1Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Congratulations on the job. The article is a very nice article especially for those who deal with aromatic-medicinal plants and biostimulants. It arouses the interest.
As for comments I would like you to notice that the Latin names must be all in italics and I would also like an additional comment on the results and the discussion because the plants are of different ages and I don't know if in the Pedroni area they are still of productive age.
Finally, check also few mistakes like in line 25 were says weigh instead of weight etc.
Author Response
Point 1. Congratulations on the job. The article is a very nice article especially for those who deal with aromatic-medicinal plants and biostimulants. It arouses the interest.
Response: thank you so much for suggestions and comments they helped us to improve the manuscript.
Point 2. As for comments I would like you to notice that the Latin names must be all in italics
Response: done.
Point 3. and I would also like an additional comment on the results and the discussion because the plants are of different ages and I don't know if in the Pedroni area they are still of productive age.
Response: as you suggested we modified the results and the discussion. As required for the result this sentence was added at page line 237 “Although CA and PE were transplanted in 2013 and 2009 respectively, lavandin plants in both farms were still in the productive phase.” As required for the discussion this sentence was added at page line 390 “On the other hand, the lavandin plants of PE and CA farms, despite of the year of transplanting (2009 and 2013 respectively), were still in a productive phase, however the production was less efficient compared to younger crop of PR..”
Point 4. Finally, check also few mistakes like in line 25 were says weigh instead of weight etc.
Response: done.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript is well-written and explains the research clearly.
Even if the idea of using biostimulators to improve crop characteristics is no longer exactly a novelty, this practice is in line with EU directives proposing a reduction in the use and impact of chemical fertilizers in agricultural crops.
I have a concern, however, the authors state well that in the years 2020 and 2021 (the years tested) no fertilizers were used to affect the results of the research. But in previous years, in 2019, were fertilizers used in these farms? If so, what kind of fertilizers? In what quantities in each farm? And this, in addition to the multitude of reasons very well presented by the authors, can be a reason for the better production obtained in the year 2020.
Except this, everything is fine, many analyzes performed, many results presented.
Title and abstract clearly state the objective of this experiment.
Conclusions are correct and summarize the results obtained in the experiment.
Author Response
Point 1. The manuscript is well-written and explains the research clearly. Even if the idea of using biostimulators to improve crop characteristics is no longer exactly a novelty, this practice is in line with EU directives proposing a reduction in the use and impact of chemical fertilizers in agricultural crops.
Response: thank you so much for suggestions and comments they helped us to improve the manuscript.
Point 2. I have a concern, however, the authors state well that in the years 2020 and 2021 (the years tested) no fertilizers were used to affect the results of the research. But in previous years, in 2019, were fertilizers used in these farms? If so, what kind of fertilizers? In what quantities in each farm? And this, in addition to the multitude of reasons very well presented by the authors, can be a reason for the better production obtained in the year 2020.
Response: no fertilizers were applied in 2019 in all farms. So, the application of fertilizers may not have influenced the production obtained in 2020.
Point 3. Except this, everything is fine, many analyzes performed, many results presented. Title and abstract clearly state the objective of this experiment. Conclusions are correct and summarize the results obtained in the experiment.
Response: thank you so much for your comments.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
