Adaptive Responses of Biofortified Common Bean Lines to Acidic Soil and High Temperatures in the Colombian Amazon Region

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In this study, authors have investigated adaptive responses of biofortified common bean lines under acidic soils and high temperature stress conditions based on phenological, physiological and agronomic differences in Amazon region of Colombia. In total, 247 lines from Mesoamerican gene pool were evaluated under field conditions. Authors identified lines with significant tolerance against combined stress of acidic soil and high temperature with highest production 1400 Kg/ha. Authors have identified six biofortified common beans lines harbouring numerous stress resistance traits, which can be employed in further genetic improvement of common bean verities in Amazon region of Colombia. Authors have designed and conducted experiment in quite adequate manners.

Author Response

In this study, authors have investigated adaptive responses of biofortified common bean lines under acidic soils and high temperature stress conditions based on phenological, physiological and agronomic differences in Amazon region of Colombia. In total, 247 lines from Mesoamerican gene pool were evaluated under field conditions. Authors identified lines with significant tolerance against combined stress of acidic soil and high temperature with highest production 1400 kg/ha. Authors have identified six biofortified common beans lines harbouring numerous stress resistance traits, which can be employed in further genetic improvement of common bean verities in Amazon region of Colombia. Authors have designed and conducted experiment in quite adequate manners.

 

Response: We are very grateful for each and every one of the positive comments made by this Reviewer on our work.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

In the article entitled “Adaptive responses of biofortified common bean lines to acidic soil and high temperature in the Amazon Region of Colombia” authors evaluated responses based on phenological, physiological and agronomic differences under combined stress conditions. Lines with tolerance to combined stress conditions of acidic soil and high temperature were found with grain yields greater than 1,400 kg ha-1 from the F5 (lines: 859, 805, 865, 657) and F4 (lines: 2853, 2796) families. Six biofortified common bean lines (F5 lines: 859, 805, 865, 657; F4 lines: 2853, 2796) were identified with multiple stress resistance traits. These lines can serve as parents for further genetic improvement of common bean for multiple stress tolerance in the Amazon region of Colombia but I have few suggestions for its improvement.

 

• Is the material used (F4 and F5 lines) were homozygous for all traits including yield and quality? Please explain in the M&M

Response: We have mentioned that the bean lines are heterozygous with a variety of seed colors ranging from red to black, shiny and dull, which were obtained from single crosses, double crosses and backcrosses between different bean lines

 

• Introduction should be concise and brief

Response: We thank you for your consideration, but we feel that reducing the text in the introduction will not allow the reader to have a clear understanding of the study.

 

• 150-151: No fertilization or irrigation was applied to the experiment, nor were pesticides applied for pest and disease control; why not?

Response: During the experiment, no fertilization or irrigation was applied, nor pesticides for pest and disease control, since the purpose of the study was to identify the self-expression of each of the bean lines evaluated under the combined stress conditions of acid soils and high temperatures.

 

• The term biofortified is written for the lines rich in Zn & Fe, is it an appropriate term or it can be replaced with rich source of Zn & Fe.

Response: The term biofortified is the appropriate term for this type of study, since the lines tested were genetically improved to biologically increase the concentration of Fe and Zn in seeds.

 

• The paper is written very nicely.

Response: We greatly appreciate the positive feedback from this Reviewer.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors!   The results of your article are very important.

The Authors want to obtain the productive and resistant to rainfall climate and acid soil lines of common beans.   It address a specific gap in the field.

The conclusions consistent with the evidence and arguments presented and they address the main question posed.

The Authors allocated some perspective lines to work further.   The references appropriate.

Whether the new varieties of common beans will be obtained from biofortified lines?   What steps need to be taken for this?

My  suggestions for article design:

1) What`s HR?   Relative humidity?   Write this in Figure 1`s caption.

2) Change the word alcohol to ethanol (line 205).

3) Check the sentence on lines 339-342.

4) Add the commas (lines 375, 428).   Delete a bracket after (LTD)) (Figure 4 ).

5) Describe references according instructions for authors.

6) comments on the tables and figures: Please increase the font in the tables.

Author Response

The results of your article are very important. The Authors want to obtain the productive and resistant to rainfall climate and acid soil lines of common beans.   It address a specific gap in the field. The conclusions consistent with the evidence and arguments presented and they address the main question posed. The Authors allocated some perspective lines to work further.   The references appropriate.

Whether the new varieties of common beans will be obtained from biofortified lines?   What steps need to be taken for this?
Response: It is expected to continue the work of the bean breeding program under the conditions of acid soils and high temperatures, and further work is in progress to develop and release biofortified common bean lines for the benefit of bean farmers across the tropics.

 

My  suggestions for article design:
1) What`s HR?   Relative humidity?   Write this in Figure 1`s caption.

Response: We have followed the suggestion and made the correction.

2) Change the word alcohol to ethanol (line 205).

Response: We have replaced alcohol with ethanol.

3) Check the sentence on lines 339-342.

Response: We have made the suggested adjustment.

4) Add the commas (lines 375, 428).   Delete a bracket after (LTD)) (Figure 4 ).

Response: We have made the suggested adjustment.

 

5) Describe references according instructions for authors.

Response: We have checked the citations and references cited as per the instructions of the journal.

6) comments on the tables and figures: Please increase the font in the tables.

Response: We have increased the font size in the tables.

Reviewer 4 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article submitted to the editorial board of the journal contains all the necessary sections and is devoted to the actual topic. However, the article requires serious revision.

The authors clearly state the purpose of their research, describe the methods used in the study. However, in the discussion of the results obtained, they are very sparing in describing their phenological observations and pollen viability. Section 3.2 takes up only 5 sentences (lines 321-329). I recommend that the authors expand this section and discuss the parameters Days to flowering (DF) and days to physiological maturity (DPM) stated in the methodology.

In addition, the authors state in methodological part 2.6 that they determined Fe and Zn content in seeds before sowing. And this parameter is not discussed in the Results section. We would like to recommend the authors to determine the content of these elements in the obtained yield - to find out whether the content of these elements in seeds is preserved after the stress effect of growing conditions.

Also it should be noted that the List of Cited Literature is not properly organized, the authors should correct this section.

Among minor shortcomings, it should be noted the need to specify the company and country of the manufacturer of MultispeQ and PhotosynQ (lines 211-212).

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

The article submitted to the editorial board of the journal contains all the necessary sections and is devoted to the actual topic. However, the article requires serious revision.

 

The authors clearly state the purpose of their research, describe the methods used in the study. However, in the discussion of the results obtained, they are very sparing in describing their phenological observations and pollen viability. Section 3.2 takes up only 5 sentences (lines 321-329). I recommend that the authors expand this section and discuss the parameters Days to flowering (DF) and days to physiological maturity (DPM) stated in the methodology.

Response: We have added more information related to the results on days to flowering, days to physiological maturity and pollen viability. Also in the Discussion section, we have added text regarding these variables.

 

In addition, the authors state in methodological part 2.6 that they determined Fe and Zn content in seeds before sowing. And this parameter is not discussed in the Results section. We would like to recommend the authors to determine the content of these elements in the obtained yield - to find out whether the content of these elements in seeds is preserved after the stress effect of growing conditions.

Response: We have included information related to Fe and Zn content in seeds in the Results section. We also appreciate the recommendation regarding the subsequent analysis of Fe and Zn in the seeds obtained after harvest, in the sense of whether or not the stress condition affects the concentration of these elements. This will be considered as a follow up publication.

 

Also it should be noted that the List of Cited Literature is not properly organized, the authors should correct this section.

Response: We have revised the list of references according to the instructions of the journal.

 

Among minor shortcomings, it should be noted the need to specify the company and country of the manufacturer of MultispeQ and PhotosynQ (lines 211-212).

Response: We have added the suggested information.