Viticultural Climate Indexes and Their Role in The Prediction of Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids Content in Seedless Table Grapes

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In the presented manuscript, the authors attempted to estimate the impact of climatic factors on the content of polyphenolic compounds in two seedless grape varieties. However, the manuscript is well designed and all individual chapters are well described. Little can be concluded from the results obtained. The fact that weather conditions and the method of cultivation significantly affect the quality of grapes has been known for decades. In this respect, the manuscript does not bring anything new. This is only a characteristic of the flavonoid content in subsequent years of cultivation.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

thank you for reviewing our paper and for your opinion on it.

As you have noted, the paper deals with the characteristic of flavonoid content in subsequent years of cultivation. However, we would like to emphasise that we have tried to find the relationships between the variations of these compounds and  the variations in some of the main bioclimatic indices only utilized for characterization of the suitability of   areas in  hosting   viticulture and mostly wine viticulture.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This manuscript represents a valuable contribution to the field, describing a complex investigation that provides new data on the suitability of using HI, CI and DI to assess the effect of climate on flavonoid content and composition in two seedless Vitis vinifera varieties grown in southern Italy.

 

Overall, the paper is well introduced, the materials and methods are well detailed, and the results and discussions are well presented and explained.

The main question addressed by the research:

This study investigated the yield parameters and the composition of flavonoid compounds by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS of two seedless table grape varieties in three consecutive harvesting years under field conditions. Furthermore, HI related to thermal conditions, CI related to night temperature, and DI related to water balance, were calculated along the three years to determine their influence on the compositional parameters.

 Originality/relevance of the topic in the field:

The issues addressed are relevant in the field and aim to fill some of the existing gaps since these indexes are useful to describe different future scenarios due to climate changes.

The added value of the study compared to other published material in this field:

This paper provides insight into the impact of climate indices HI, CI and DI on grape quality parameters such as flavonoids, and contributes to building predictive models when new climate zones are going to be evaluated for table grape production.

 Methodology: The methodology is well addressed and provided in sufficient detail.

 Conclusions: The conclusions are relevant to the research conducted; they are well supported by the results and arguments presented and respond well to the main question addressed in this study.

Please highlight the innovative items of this study in the conclusion!

The references: The references are relevant for this research topic. In the References section, it is not necessary to provide the issue, only the volume.

Tables and figures: The results are illustrated in 4 tables and 3 figures.

In footer of Table 2: Different letters among values by columns indicate significative differences using Tukey’s multiple range test. Please, check this Table.

It could be said: “Different letters between values in the same line indicate significant differences, using Tukey's multiple range test.” Please check if it is correct.

 Please provide figures 2 and 3 at a better resolution. Or enlarge them.

Although the work has no has no scientific weaknesses, an editing review is needed. The content of this manuscript fits well with the journal topic and therefore, I recommend its publication after a minor revision.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

thank you for all your comments. The corrections have been made and you will find them all in red.

 

• Methodology: The methodology is well addressed and provided in sufficient detail.

 Conclusions: The conclusions are relevant to the research conducted; they are well supported by the results and arguments presented and respond well to the main question addressed in this study.

Please highlight the innovative items of this study in the conclusion!

The concept has been highlighted on lines 494 – 498.

 

 

• The references: The references are relevant for this research topic. In the References section, it is not necessary to provide the issue, only the volume.

Issues  have been removed from the references section.

 

 

• Tables and figures: The results are illustrated in 4 tables and 3 figures.

In footer of Table 2: Different letters among values by columns indicate significative differences using Tukey’s multiple range test. Please, check this Table.

It could be said: “Different letters between values in the same line indicate significant differences, using Tukey's multiple range test.” Please check if it is correct.

Yes, your suggestion could make the text clearer.   The text in the footer of Table 2 has been changed (red colour).

 

 

• Please provide figures 2 and 3 at a better resolution. Or enlarge them.

The figures have been improved by better resolution and enlargement.

 

 

• The references: The references are relevant for this research topic. In the References section, it is not necessary to provide the issue, only the volume.

  References have been updated and corrected.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review for

 

 

 Viticultural Climate Indexes and Their Role in The Prediction of Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids Content in Seedless Table Grapes

 

By Pasquale Crupi 3†, Vittorio Alba 1†, Giovanni Gentilesco 1, Marica Gasparro 1, Giuseppe Ferrara 2, Andrea Mazzeo 2 5 and Antonio Coletta 1*

 

 

 Viticulture bioclimatic indexes like Heliothermal Index (HI), Cool night Index (CI), and Dryness Index (DI), can be used to assess the influence of climate on grapes quality. HI, CI, and DI were utilized by authors to assess the effect of climate on flavonoids content and composition of two Vitis vinifera seedless varieties, ‘Summer Royal’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ both grown in Apulia (Southern Italy).

 

 

 Climate indices HI, CI, and DI showed an effect on quality grape parameters like flavonoids and contributed to building predictive models when new climatic zones are going to be evaluated for table grapes production.

 

Fully true, such tools and models are very useful

 

_________________________

 

The paper focus on

 

 

 Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds, different in chemical structure and characteristics, which are biosynthesized through the shikimic acid pathway. Flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins are among the principal flavonoid classes present in fruit and vegetables

 

What about of the global yield of table grapes and models?

the global yield of table grapes and Viticulture bioclimatic indexes?

 

Yield data in Table 2

__________________________________________

 

 

The experiment was conducted along three consecutive harvesting years (2014, 2015, 2016). ‘Summer Royal’ and ‘Crimson Seedless’ (Vitis vinifera L.), two seedless table grape varieties black and red, respectively, were grown both in the same trial site

 

Very strong experimental setup, data obtained over a long period

______________________________

 

In this work authors reported some preliminary data on the effects of climate indices HI,  CI and DI calculated during the vegetative cycle, over field grown grape berries of two seedless varieties (Summer Royal and Crimson Seedless) for three consecutive years  (2014-2016), with a focus on flavonoids content and composition.

 

Not preliminary data, to my opinion

Delete preliminary?

 

How many different seedless varieties are cultivated in Italy? In the world?

___________________________________________

 

In the opinion of many consumers, pesticide is a major issue with grapes

 

Pesticide Residues and Berry Microbiome after Ozonated Water Washing in Table Grape Storage

Caponio, G., Vendemia, M., Mallardi, D., ...Velasco, R., Coletta, A.

Foods, 2023, 12(17), 3144

 

You promote Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids

What about pesticides in your study?  In grape culture in general?

__________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

thank you for all your comments. The corrections have been made and you will find them all in red.

  

• Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds, different in chemical structure and characteristics, which are biosynthesized through the shikimic acid pathway. Flavonols, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins are among the principal flavonoid classes present in fruit and vegetables

What about of the global yield of table grapes and models?

Lines 38-44 provide further information on the cultivation of table grapes worldwide.

 

 

• The global yield of table grapes and Viticulture bioclimatic indexes?

We have integrated the text with more information about climate indices on lines 84-88.

 

 

• In this work authors reported some preliminary data on the effects of climate indices HI, CI and DI calculated during the vegetative cycle, over field grown grape berries of two seedless varieties (Summer Royal and Crimson Seedless) for three consecutive years  (2014-2016), with a focus on flavonoids content and composition.

Not preliminary data, to my opinion.

Delete preliminary?

Thank you for your thought.  Yes, we agree with you and have removed the word 'preliminary’  from line 491.

 

 

• How many different seedless varieties are cultivated in Italy? In the world?

 In the opinion of many consumers, pesticide is a major issue with grapes

Pesticide Residues and Berry Microbiome after Ozonated Water Washing in Table Grape Storage

Caponio, G., Vendemia, M., Mallardi, D., ...Velasco, R., Coletta, A.

Foods, 2023, 12(17), 3144

You promote Anthocyanins and Other Flavonoids

What about pesticides in your study?  In grape culture in general?

We appreciate your comment on table grape varieties, but we felt that this aspect, as well as the phytoiatric issue, was not suitable to be elaborated in the context of this publication. All these general aspects have been discussed in another of our publications, as you reported in your review.

 

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

I still think the manuscript shows little originality. Suggests authors to transfer to another journal

Author Response

Dear reviewer

thank you for your opinion, however we believe that the work could be suitable for this journal