Impact of Seed Treatment with Imidacloprid, Clothianidin and Thiamethoxam on Soil, Plants, Bees and Hive Products

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Manuscript ID: agriculture-2295328

Type: Article

Title: Impact of seed treatment with neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam) on soil, plants bees and hive products

Authors: Roxana Zaharia, Elena Trotuș, Georgeta Trașca, Emil Georgescu, Agripina Șapcaliu, Viorel Fătu, Cristina Petrișor and Carmen Mincea

Topic: Integrated Pest Management of Crops

Recommendation: Minor Revision

The article ‘Impact of seed treatment with neonicotinoid insecticides (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam) on soil, plants bees and hive products’ has been reviewed. The manuscript is well-written and well-planned. However, some minor changes and recommendations should be considered before publishing it. Here, the authors have evaluated the effect of three neonicotinoid insecticides by applying them as seed treatments on rapeseed, maize and sunflower crops. The insecticidal residue levels were determined in plant samples at different growth stages, as well as in bees and hive products (pollen, honeycomb, honey) by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-MS/MS). Overall, the manuscript is good and very suitable for the journal agriculture. There are some recommendations which would be helpful in improving and overall ship-shaping of the articles, and which are as follow:

Title

1.     The title of any review/research articles should be eye-catching and interesting. Here the title should be modified as “Impact of seed treatment with imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam on soil, plants bees and hive products”

Abstract

The abstract is good and written in the to-the-point form. However, there are some errors have been occurred which should be corrected before publishing the article.

1.     What is BBCH? Please clarify. Abbreviate.

2.     Botanical name of rapeseed, maize and sunflower should be provided.

Introduction

1.     This article is written very well and may be helpful for readers around the globe.

2.     Introduction section is written very well. However, there is lack of literatures regarding the effect of insecticides on agricultural system. Authors are requested to elaborate the same.

Methodology

The material and methods section has described in detailed.

Results and discussion

1.     Results are appropriately discussed. The overall manuscript is good. However, there are some errors have been observed which is needed to improve before publication of the article. 

2.     I applaud the authors for Tables and Figures. The tables are very beautifully presented and statistically analysed. However, figures (Figure 1 and 2) are of very poor quality. A little bit more attention would make these more useful and clearer for the readers.

Conclusion

Conclusion section is good. This section is very elaborative. The authors are requested to cut-short the conclusion part without disrupting the main/important message of the article.

Finally, I wish you all the best and success

Author Response

Please  see the attachment 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Item 2.1 didn't describe the design of the experiments. It just showed the treatments.

Item 2.2.2, second paragraph - "In order to collect samples of bees and hive products" - which hive products?

Results and discussion:

-Why the number of samples are different?

-The number of samples should be in the material session

-Where is the statistical analysis (Table 4, and Figure 1, 2)?

-The quality of the figures is not good

Conclusions - you should conclude by answering your objective. You repeated the results.

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.docx