Detoxification of Molasses and Production of Mycelial Mass and Valuable Metabolites by Morchella Species

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript entitled “Detoxification of Molasses and Production of Mycelial Mass and Valuable Metabolites by Morchella Species” focused on the cultivation in liquid static and shake-flasks of sucrose and molasses substrates with different C/N ratio. The production of mycelial mass, the secondary metabolites, as well as the substrate consumption are largely affected by multiple cultivation parameters, including the medium composition.

The difficulties on the cultivation of morels in general, but also in lignocellulosic wastes like some other species of mushrooms make the data obtained in this study important.

This study is of great importance since there is no exist of such a study previously. In my opinion, the manuscript is well written, but needs minor revision.

Specific comments

• For all the names of the mushrooms (line 13, 21,and 23, as well as in the key words), do not use italic type
• I suggest replacing the words agitated with shaken in Figure 1-5
• In the part of the conclusion or earlier in the discussion, it should be stated more clearly by species which Ascomycetes with large fruiting bodies were examined “and finally achieve biological detoxification of liquid wastes’ pollutant load”, and not just say there are not many studies.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

thank you very much for your valuable comments and suggestions. Please see below our response to them:

1. Mushroom names, as all fungal species, should be written in italics and so the names of the species Morchella using in the present article (first page and whole m/s)
2. It is very difficult for us to change the word 'agitated' with 'shaken' at Fig. 1-5, as in the m/s and Tables, the word 'agitated' is used. Instead, we have changed the word 'shake' with 'agitated' at lines 14 and 326 (m/s R1) to reach consistency in our writing.
3. We have added the most important ascomycetous higher fungi and as there are not reports concerning the use of molasses by Morchella mushrooms, we have corrected the conclusion section accordingly.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. P. Diamantopoulou

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper is well structured, and provides all necessary information. The topic of the research is relevant and interesting, even if not particularly original. Use of molasses fro fungal growth has been already applied for different species. Never the less this is the first time that Morchella spp are used. The results are interesting and I don't have particular observations, but several suggestion to improve the quality (already on good level). 

Material and methods are well written, but a major subdivision in sub-chapters or new paragraphs would be more reader friendly.

Results are significant. The presentation in table 2 is not easy to follow due to big number of data. What puzzles me is why the time points of sampling are different? Wouldn't it be more comprehensible and comparable if all the samplings were done at the same time points?  

In the introduction authors mention a possible use of mycelia and/or metabolites of Morchella spp in food and medicine industry. Maybe in the discussion this aspect should be more evidenced. Particularly when speaking of polysaccharides. It is known that mushroom polysaccharides, specially beta-glucans, can act as biological response modifiers. In the discussion regarding polysaccharide content this could be better presented and discussed.

This are my suggestions, but I think that the article is acceptable in its present form, so I leave to authors the decision whether to accept my comments or not.

The only thing I recommend is to check English.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

thank you very much for your time and your valuable comments, which we have been taken under consideration, as you can see below:

1. We have made two new paragraphs on M&M section, lines 129, 146 (m/s R1)
2. Table 2 is indeed big, but it contains the results of many relevant experements and cannot be divided. As it is stated at the title, it presents the maximum values of each parameter studied that in many cases were achieved at different fermentation days (sampling was done each 3-4 days).
3.   Added lines 323-325 (m/s R1) refer to the medicinal aspect of Morchella spp. polysaccharides
4. We have checked English and made some corrections.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. P. Diamantopoulou