Rare Virulences and Great Pathotype Diversity of a Central European Blumeria hordei Population

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In this study, Antonín Dreiseitl reported research on rare virulences and great pathotype diversity of a Central  European Blumeria hordei population.
The study is very informative and the data analysis is in accordance with the conclusions. The writing was also easy to follow. My only suggestion for the author is to comment more on coefficients used to evaluate diversity within populations and distance between populations and how his results relate to these. In general, I would recommend the acceptance of this manuscript.

Author Response

Author´s response to Reviewer 1

Journal of Fungi

Manuscript ID: jof-2651386

Rare Virulences and Great Pathotype Diversity of a Central European Blumeria hordei Population

Antonín Dreiseitl

 

Reviewer 1 - Evaluation

In this study, Antonín Dreiseitl reported research on rare virulences and great pathotype diversity of a Central European Blumeria hordei population.

The study is very informative and the data analysis is in accordance with the conclusions. The writing was also easy to follow.

My only suggestion for the author is to comment more on coefficients used to evaluate diversity within populations and distance between populations and how his results relate to these.

In general, I would recommend the acceptance of this manuscript.

 

Response of the author

If the aim of the research is to compare populations (between wider or specific geographical areas, mostly countries, or between years), then using of diversity coefficients is essential and in our previous articles we always used several of them. For that it is appropriate to use standard differentials, the best near isogenic lines (we use those bred on the base of Pallas variety), or at least differentials with identical resistance genes used in parallel population(s). Because our aims were different, mainly to look for rare and new virulences, we used an enormous number of differentials (in total 121) and between years we exchanged many of them. However, only 40 could be used for comparison within the study and even much less for comparison with other populations, because neither such differential varieties nor respective resistance genes were used by other authors. Because we were hunting new virulences we did not find any virulence on 14 differentials and on other 18 differentials virulence frequency was ≤5%, it means according of these specific aims our population results were shift to none or very poor differential ability of the differential set what influence values of diversity coefficients very much. Therefore, in our present case to calculate their values is not suitable.

In the end, let me thank you very much for acceptation of reviewing our manuscript and for time you spent with it.

October 20, 2023

Reviewer 2 Report

My comments can be found in the attached MS.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Author´s response to Reviewer 2

Journal of Fungi

Manuscript ID: jof-2651386

Rare Virulences and Great Pathotype Diversity of a Central European Blumeria hordei Population

Antonín Dreiseitl

 

Reviewer 2 - Evaluation

In the manuscript:

Monitoring PMs on different crops allows comparison of local populations or populations within and between continents including the detection of new virulences.

Reviewer proposal is to use: “virulent races” or “strains” instead of “virulences” here.

 

We were interested mainly about new "virulences" as a basic phenotype reflecting new virulence genes. To use "virulences" is correct in this case.

 

Curious to know if the car was travelling in the areas where barley is grown or cities?

 

Of course, the car was travelling mainly (but not only) across areas out of cities. But it is not important because during sampling, spores were caught in all sections of the route. During vegetation period there is no place in the Czech Republic (and generally in Europe) where barley powdery mildew spores can´t be caught from the air.

 

How did you maintain the inoculum?

For re-inoculations inoculum from evaluated isolates was used, usually two days after scoring, it means nine days from inoculation – see M&M section and dishes with infected leaf segments were kept in described conditions. Inoculum of 22 selected isolates kept in our gene bank of the pathogen is maintained by the same way only in lower temperature around 5°C. But it is information above the article published already elsewhere.

 

In the manuscript:

In total, 22 isolates were selected for future use in postulating resistance genes…

Reviewer proposal is to use: postulating resistant genes…

“Resistance” genes… is correct in this case. Use of “resistant” genes would change the meaning.

 

In the manuscript:

About 25 seeds of the susceptible Australian barley variety Stirling were sown…

Reviewer proposal is to use quotation marks for names of varieties, e.g. …of variety ʻStirlingʼ were sown…

Such designation of varieties is used in some journals, especially publishing results about hosts, but it is not a case of Journal of Fungi. Using of such designation is not common here.

 

In the end, let me thank you very much for acceptation of reviewing our manuscript and for time you spent with it.

 

October 20, 2023