Lethal Concentration and Sporulation by Contact and Direct Spray of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Beauveria bassiana on Different Stages of Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript addresses an important topic of great consequence to agribusiness, public and environmental health, and to the control of agricultural pests in an eco-friendly way through biological control. The relevance of the topic addressed is a strong aspect of the work.
The work is well written, has an adequate introduction and clear objectives.
The methodology should be improved and better detailed in some points, especially in the evaluation of fungal sporulation. This is a point that deserves attention from the authors, since depending on the methodology used, the objective may not be achieved.
The results are well described.
The discussion is superficial and could be improved.
More details are described in the attached PDF.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Please see all responses below
Line 14, change ‘lethal concentration’ to ‘median lethal concentration’
Response 1: Changed
Line 15, change ‘lethal sporulation’ to ‘median lethal sporulation’
Response 2: Changed
Line 19, change ‘Direct spray’ to ‘; Direct spray’
Response 3: Changed
Lines 20, 22, and 23, change ‘Spray’ to ‘; Direct spray’
Response 4: Changed
Lines 32-33, the sentence ‘Globally, is well known the low susceptibility of N. viridula to pyrethroids and organophosphates.’ is revised to ‘Globally, the low susceptibility of N. viridula to pyrethroids and organophosphates is well known.’
Response 5: Changed, now line 34.
Lines 43-44, change ‘often influence’ to ‘often influenced’
Response 6: Changed
Line 61, change ‘contributing’ to ‘contributed’
Response 7: Changed
Line 76, change ‘colony’ to ‘Colony’
Response 8: Changed
Line 77, change ‘has initially collected’ to ‘has been initially collected’
Response 9: Changed
Line 78, change ‘Delta. This colony’ to ‘Delta, which’
Response 10: No changes were done. If change to reviewer’s suggestion the sentence will be too long.
Line 80, delete ‘in’
Response 11: No changes. ‘in’ should not be deleted.
Line 84, change ‘isolate’ to ‘Isolate’
Response 12: Changed
Line 85, change ‘delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 13: Changed
Line 93, change ‘by contact: treated diet’ to ‘by Contact: Treated Diet’
Response 14: Changed
Line 95, change ‘70g’ to ‘70 g’; change ‘100g’ to ‘100 g’
Response 15: Changed
Line 96, change ‘150g’ to ‘150 g’
Response 16: Changed
Line 101, change ‘3000mL’ to ‘3000 mL’
Response 17: Changed
Line 106, change ‘direct spray)’ to ‘direct spray).’
Response 18: Changed
Lines 107 and 127, change ‘6mL’ to ‘6 mL’
Response 19: Changed
Line 109, change ‘24cm’ to ’24 cm’
Response 20: Changed
Line 110, change ’38.5cm’ to ’38.5 cm’
Response 21: Changed
Line 116, delete ‘by’
Response 22: Changed
Line 119, change ‘Same’ to ‘same’
Response 23: Changed
Line 124, change ‘the presence absence’ to ‘the presence or absence’
Response 24:
Line 126, change ‘direct spray’ to ‘Direct Spray’
Response 25: Changed
Line 129, change ‘rep’ to ‘replica’; change ‘, (experimental unit)’ to ‘(experimental unit),’
Response 26: It was changed to replication suggested by another reviewer
Line 144, please provide the full name of ‘ANOVA’
Response 27: Added
Line 155, change ‘Survival probability’ to ‘Survival Probability’
Response 28: Changed
Line 156, change ‘nymphal stage’ to ‘Nymphal Stage’
Response 29: Changed
In Table 1, change ‘Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 30: Changed
Line 177, change ‘adults’ to ‘Adults’
Response 31: Changed
Line 186, change ‘Table1’ to ‘Table 1’
Response 32: Changed
Lines 191-192, change ‘sporulation percentage of Nezara viridula nymphs and adults among concentration’ to ‘Sporulation Percentage of Nezara viridula Nymphs and Adults among Concentrations’
Response 33: Changed
Line 208, change ‘direct spray. .’ to ‘direct spray.’
Response 34: Changed
Line 209, change ‘concentration’ to ‘concentrations’
Response 35: Changed
Lines 215-219, the sentence should be re-written.
Response 36: It is a title of the Fig. 4. Was not charged but added more information on the statistical analysis suggested by another reviewer.
Lines 223-224, change ‘sporulation response of Nezara viridula nymphs and adults to Beauveria bassiana strain NI8’ to ‘Sporulation Response of Nezara viridula Nymphs and Adults to Beauveria bassiana Strain NI8’
Response 37: Changed
Line 235, change ‘That lethal mortality’ to ‘Lethal mortality’
Response 38: Changed
Line 239, in Table 2, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strains’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 39: Changed
Line 243, in Table 3, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 40: Changed
Line 259, in Table 4, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 41: Changed
Line 266, in Table 5, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Response 42: Changed
Lines 270-271, change ‘percentage of Nezara viridula nymphs among concentration of Beauveria bassiana strain NI8’ to ‘Percentage of Nezara viridula Nymphs among Concentrations of Beauveria bassiana Strain NI8’
Response 43: Changed
Lines 273-274, change ‘concentration’ to ‘concentrations’
Response 44: Changed
Reviewer 2 Report
Line 14, change ‘lethal concentration’ to ‘median lethal concentration’
Line 15, change ‘lethal sporulation’ to ‘median lethal sporulation’
Line 19, change ‘Direct spray’ to ‘; Direct spray’
Lines 20, 22, and 23, change ‘Spray’ to ‘; Direct spray’
Lines 32-33, the sentence ‘Globally, is well known the low susceptibility of N. viridula to pyrethroids and organophosphates.’ is revised to ‘Globally, the low susceptibility of N. viridula to pyrethroids and organophosphates is well known.’
Lines 43-44, change ‘often influence’ to ‘often influenced’
Line 61, change ‘contributing’ to ‘contributed’
Line 76, change ‘colony’ to ‘Colony’
Line 77, change ‘has initially collected’ to ‘has been initially collected’
Line 78, change ‘Delta. This colony’ to ‘Delta, which’
Line 80, delete ‘in’
Line 84, change ‘isolate’ to ‘Isolate’
Line 85, change ‘delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Line 93, change ‘by contact: treated diet’ to ‘by Contact: Treated Diet’
Line 95, change ‘70g’ to ‘70 g’; change ‘100g’ to ‘100 g’
Line 96, change ‘150g’ to ‘150 g’
Line 101, change ‘3000mL’ to ‘3000 mL’
Line 106, change ‘direct spray)’ to ‘direct spray).’
Lines 107 and 127, change ‘6mL’ to ‘6 mL’
Line 109, change ‘24cm’ to ’24 cm’
Line 110, change ’38.5cm’ to ’38.5 cm’
Line 116, delete ‘by’
Line 119, change ‘Same’ to ‘same’
Line 124, change ‘the presence absence’ to ‘the presence or absence’
Line 126, change ‘direct spray’ to ‘Direct Spray’
Line 129, change ‘rep’ to ‘replica’; change ‘, (experimental unit)’ to ‘(experimental unit),’
Line 144, please provide the full name of ‘ANOVA’
Line 155, change ‘Survival probability’ to ‘Survival Probability’
Line 156, change ‘nymphal stage’ to ‘Nymphal Stage’
In Table 1, change ‘Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Line 177, change ‘adults’ to ‘Adults’
Line 186, change ‘Table1’ to ‘Table 1’
Lines 191-192, change ‘sporulation percentage of Nezara viridula nymphs and adults among concentration’ to ‘Sporulation Percentage of Nezara viridula Nymphs and Adults among Concentrations’
Line 208, change ‘direct spray. .’ to ‘direct spray.’
Line 209, change ‘concentration’ to ‘concentrations’
Lines 215-219, the sentence should be re-written.
Lines 223-224, change ‘sporulation response of Nezara viridula nymphs and adults to Beauveria bassiana strain NI8’ to ‘Sporulation Response of Nezara viridula Nymphs and Adults to Beauveria bassiana Strain NI8’
Line 235, change ‘That lethal mortality’ to ‘Lethal mortality’
Line 239, in Table 2, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strains’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Line 243, in Table 3, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Line 259, in Table 4, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Line 266, in Table 5, change ‘Mississippi Delta native NI8 strain’ to ‘Delta native strain NI8’
Lines 270-271, change ‘percentage of Nezara viridula nymphs among concentration of Beauveria bassiana strain NI8’ to ‘Percentage of Nezara viridula Nymphs among Concentrations of Beauveria bassiana Strain NI8’
Lines 273-274, change ‘concentration’ to ‘concentrations’
Line 282, change ‘direct spray. .’ to ‘direct spray.’
Line 289, change ‘IMP’ to ‘IPM’
Line 295, change ‘In our study’ to ‘In our study,’
Line 301, change ‘result’ to ‘results’
Line 316, delete ‘it’
Line 319, change ‘19 spores,’ to ‘19 spores /’
Line 323, change ‘concentration’ to ‘concentrations’
Line 327, change ‘indicated, that spraying’ to ‘indicated that spraying’
Line 329, change ‘give’ to ‘gives’
Line 353, delete ‘In’
The section of References should be checked thoroughly to confirm the correction for each reference.
Line 372, change ‘Insects.’ to ‘Insects’
Line 376, 442, 444, and 467, delete ‘of’
Line 399, please provide the abbreviation of the journal.
Line 408, change ‘Effectiveness of Fungus Beauveria bassiana on Mortality of Nezara viridula on Stadia Nymphs and Imago.’ to ‘Effectiveness of fungus Beauveria bassiana on mortality of Nezara viridula on stadia nymphs and imago.’
Line 418, change ‘Some Entomopatogen Fungus on Green Ladybug Imago (Nezara Viridula Linnaeus)’ to ‘some entomopatogen fungus on green ladybug imago (Nezara viridula Linnaeus)’
Line 430, change ‘Mycologya.’ to ‘Mycologia’
Line 437, change ‘Mycologia.’ to ‘Mycologia’
Line 439, please confirm the name of ‘Frontiers.’
Line 446, ‘Paecilomyces’ should be italicized; change ‘Infection’ to ‘infection’
Line 451, please provide the abbreviation of the journal.
Lines 452-454, change ‘Laboratory and Field Investigation on Compatibility of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) Spores with a Sprayable Bioplastic Formulation for Application in the Biocontrol of Tarnished Plant Bug in Cotton’ to ‘Laboratory and field investigation on compatibility of Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) spores with a sprayable bioplastic formulation for application in the biocontrol of tarnished plant bug in cotton’
Line 465, change ‘Crop Protection’ to ‘Crop Prot.’
Line 475, change ‘Entomopathogenic’ to ‘entomopathogenic’
Line 476, ‘Nezara viridula’ should be italicized.
Lines 477-478, change ‘Lethality of the Entomogenous Fungus Beauveria bassiana Strain NI8 on Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae) and its Possible Impact on Beneficial Arthropods’ to ‘Lethality of the entomogenous fungus Beauveria bassiana strain NI8 on Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae) and its possible impact on beneficial arthropods’; ‘Lygus lineolaris’ should be italicized.
Author Response
Please see attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
This is a well done study and the results are very well presented. Since I have no suggestions for improvement, I recommend the study for publication.
Author Response
No comments from Reviewer # 3
