Frequency of Outcrossing and Isolation Distance in Faba Beans (Vicia faba L.)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Some information should be added to the introduction.

- What is the economic importance of Faba bean, especially the two cultivars evaluated?

- Quantitative Faba production or area in Australia. 

- Make clear how the Faba bean is pollinated, flower anatomy, etc.

Line 51: Incomplete phrase "Similarly, Bond and Poulsen [9] reported 4-84% and Gottschalk [10] 40%."

Line 52: outcrossing RATE

Line 79: replace the reference "Adhikari et al. 2021" with the number

Line 104: Figure 1 doesn't be cited before. Change the figure order or cite the image before.

Line 147: spot. [32]

Line 165: Replace the images with young plants (4-5 leaf stage)

Line 203: "low germination rate 45%" What is the germination rate of the others? Why 45% is low?

Line 317: The direction was not significative, so it isn't necessary to discuss these results

Line 331-332: Include a reference that discusses pollen size 

Line 343: There weren't found significant differences between arms, so why try to explain more or less outcrossing rate?

Line 427: "located. hive"

Author Response

Reviewer 1

Thank you for providing valuable feedback in the manuscript. Please find our response in red.

 

Some information should be added to the introduction.

- What is the economic importance of Faba bean, especially the two cultivars evaluated?

We inserted sentences in introduction section to reflect economic importance of faba bean. IX225C is a breeding line and PBA Warda is a popular variety in Australia. We have added this info in the manuscript in method section under planting arrangements.

- Quantitative Faba production or area in Australia. 

Produced over 500,000 tons in 269,000 ha. This has been inserted.

- Make clear how the Faba bean is pollinated, flower anatomy, etc.

We have made it clear.

Line 51: Incomplete phrase "Similarly, Bond and Poulsen [9] reported 4-84% and Gottschalk [10] 40%."

Corrected

Line 52: outcrossing RATE

Corrected

Line 79: replace the reference "Adhikari et al. 2021" with the number

Corrected

Line 104: Figure 1 doesn't be cited before. Change the figure order or cite the image before.

Corrected

Line 147: spot. [32]

Reference style fixed.

Line 165: Replace the images with young plants (4-5 leaf stage): It is not possible as we want to show the stipule and flower colour together. Plants at 4-5 leaf stage will not have flowers.

Line 203: "low germination rate 45%" What is the germination rate of the others? Why 45% is low?

Germination rate below 50% is low as all others had over 95%, therefore these samples were excluded.

Line 317: The direction was not significative, so it isn't necessary to discuss these results.

We agree with the reviewer and have inserted a sentence ‘the direction was not significant in this study and more or less directional outcrossing makes no difference’.

Line 331-332: Include a reference that discusses pollen size 

We inserted two references that describe pollen size on faba bean and Brassica species. Faba bean pollen size differs within genotypes ranging from size to 27–38 μm, similar to Brassica species 30-40 um.

Line 343: There weren't found significant differences between arms, so why try to explain more or less outcrossing rate?

We have inserted a sentence describing the direction was not significant and more or less outcrossing in a particular direction is not important.

Line 427: "located. hive"

Fixed by deleting hive.

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Manuscript ID: agronomy-2448551 entitled "Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean" which was submitted to the Agronomy journal.

In this manuscript, the authors studied the Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean. The manuscript is suitable for publication in Agronomy.

I have gone through this work. My decision is accepted with minor revisions for this work. The reason for that is as follows:

The manuscript deals with the Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean.

First: Title: It should change to the following:

1)    Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Second Abstract, keywords and Introduction:

2) has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

 

Third: The objectives of the study

3) ok.

Fourth: Materials and Methods

4) has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

Results and discussion

5)  has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

References

6) It has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

Thank you for suggesting me as a reviewer for this paper.

with best regards

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Dear Prof. Dr. Editor of Agronomy Journal,

I write you regarding Manuscript ID: agronomy-2448551 entitled "Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean" which was submitted to the Agronomy journal.

In this manuscript, the authors studied the Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean. The manuscript is suitable for publication in Agronomy.

I have gone through this work. My decision is accepted with minor revisions for this work. The reason for that is as follows:

The manuscript deals with the Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean.

First: Title: It should change to the following:

1)    Frequency of outcrossing and isolation distance in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Second Abstract, keywords and Introduction:

2) has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

 

Third: The objectives of the study

3) ok.

Fourth: Materials and Methods

4) has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

Results and discussion

5)  has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

References

6) It has some minor corrections as in the attached file.

Thank you for suggesting me as a reviewer for this paper.

with best regards

 

Author Response

Thank you very much for providing valuable suggestions/comments on the manuscript. We have addressed them all. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

The manuscript presented for review is aimed to examine the extent of natural outcrossing in Faba bean (Vicia faba L.). This species is a partially outcrossing requiring an isolation distance to maintain genetic purity when more than one variety is grown in field conditions. Thus, the main question in this regard, which is the objective of the present study, is to establish the optimal isolation distance to maintain the genetic purity of faba bean when more than one cultivar is grown in the field. This information is critical for seed producers and bean breeders and is valuable because of the limited information on the rate of natural outcrossing and the isolation distance needed to prevent outcrossing of beans. All this determines the relevance of the topic of the present study in target area. It provides new and useful information on the effect of distance on outcrossing in Faba bean to identify an effective isolation distance for the production of genetically pure seeds of this crop. Previous studies on outcrossing in this culture were mainly from Europe where auto fertility in the germplasm is low. Present study is focused on the Australian bred lines and proved that they show high rates of auto fertility. The new one of the study is also the testing the effect of wind on pollinators and the consequences on outcrossing that have not been widely researched up to now. The study was carried out using a creamy white flower characteristic as a morphological marker, which is controlled by a single recessive gene in order to assess the extent of natural outcrossing when two varieties are grown side by side and to estimate the impact of distance on outcrossing to identify an effective isolation distance for producing genetically pure seed.

The manuscript is constructed according to requirements of “Agronomy”

The research methods applied are appropriate, comprehensive and sufficient to achieve the objectives of the study. The performed analyzes and controls are sufficient for the reliability of the obtained results.

The results are clearly presented and adecuate discussed in which base are deduced the conclusions.

The references used as comparative base are appropriate for the research carried out.

The illustrative material (tables and figures) is representative and of good quality and sufficient to demonstrate the results described.

A continuation, some recommendations are given:

Abstract:

According to Agronomy Authors guidelines, the abstract section consists of a maximum of 200 words and the present abstract exceeds 300 words and should be shortened. Please, find here-below my suggestion:

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a partially outcrossing species requiring an isolation distance to maintain genetic purity when more than one variety is grown in field. This information is crucial for seed growers and faba bean breeders. A study was conducted to examine the extent of natural outcrossing using a creamy white flower characteristic as a morphological marker, which is controlled by a single recessive gene. For this purpose, white flowered genotype (IX225c) was grown together with normal flowered genotype PBA Warda. Seed samples were taken from the white flowered genotype and were grown. The proportion of plants displaying stipule spot pigmentation was used to determine the percentage of outcrossing. Distance had the major effect on outcrossing. Maximum outcrossing (2.28%) occurred when both genotypes grown side by side (0 m) and decreased with the distance increasing. At 6 m the outcrossing was less than 1%, however occasionaly it increased to 1% (at distance of 100 m), indicating the volatile and unpredictable nature of bee flights. Direction of interaction had no effect on outcrossing. To limit outcrossing to below 0.5%, a distance of more than 150 m between different faba beans cultivars would be required. Australian faba bean genotypes resulted mostly self- fertile and a relatively narrow isolation distance will ensure self-fertilization.

 

 

Some technical mistakes were detected:

Line 49: “Pope and Bond [8] found outcrossing decreased as the distance from pollen source increased ranging from 17% at 0.9 m to 1.25% at 92 m, and 0.59% at 184 m”. it is omitted “that” after “found”- “..found that outcrossing decreased…” Also, I suggest to change “as” in “with”: “Pope and Bond [8] found that outcrossing decreased with increasing distance from the pollen source, ranging from 17% at 0.9 m to 1.25% at 92 m and 0.59% at 184 m.”

Line 51: “Suso, Pierre 51 [11]” have to be “Suso et al.[11]”

Line 311: “The degree of outcrossing deceased with increasing distance from the pollen source”- deceased have to be decreased

Line 313: “Prior to these studies, it was assumed the honeybees would fly in any direction to 313 gather pollen and nectar in the plot.“ it is omitted “that” after “assumed” – “..it was assumed that ..”.

All text to be checked carefully for such errors.

 

References:

The list of references has to be adequate with the Instruction for authors.

According to Agronomy requirements, the sources with two authors in the references list have to be described as follows: Author 1, A.B.; Author 2, C.D. Title of the article. Abbreviated Journal Name Year, Volume, page range.- the authors names are separated with “;”, and not with “and”

The sources with more than two authors are described enumerating the authors names separated with “;”, and not “Author 1 et al.”

The Year, Volume, page range are described as follows: e.g. 2010, 115(3), 270-278, and not “2010. 115(3): p. 270-278”

 

 

In conclusion, this manuscript is recommended for publication in “Agronomy”, after consideration of the remarks shown.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer

Thank you for providing comments and suggestions to improve the quality of this manuscript. I have addressed all your comments and the file is attached for your revision. 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf