Characterization of Wheat Yellow Rust and Stem Rust Virulence in Southern Spain

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Hello authors,

First of all, I would like to say that this long-term study is interesting, but its presentation is not good. You should improve use of English throughout the manuscript. Introduction can be improved. In materials and methods, I have many serious questions. 

First, PstS10, PstS13, PstS14,... etc. They are the lineages. You cannot use the term "race". As far as I know GRRC do not characterize the races physiologically, they only genotype the isolates based on their SSR profilling. So they are lineages not races. Please consider this.

- Did you use replications in these trials?

- You should give weather information for all years. Additionally, to increase disease pressure, did you irrigate these plants? if yes, how often did you irrigate it?

- Other corrections/suggestions are in attached file. Please find it.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English in the manuscript is grammatically ok but complicated. Writing language is poor. You should use the English more correct.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors, 

I have following concerns about your manuscript those needs to be corrected before finalize the version, 

1. Figure1, Figure 2,  please name the resistant and susceptible cultivars. 

2. Line 137 to 160 can you please put these entries in to table along with pedigree?

3. Please name the susceptible/ resistant differentials used during the trial as reference set. 

4.  In tables the names of the 52 differentials and 100 another genotypes are different from those mentioned at 137-160. Probably genes you mentioned correspond to the same genotypes. But for audience its confusing and you need to rewrite this part at more simplified way. 

I would suggest to add the table in material methods and results section with more clear way. 

5. You need discuss about the dominant races during the study period and reason for the dominance based on the gene deployment in the region. 

This version of manuscript needs major revision before acceptance.  

Comments on the Quality of English Language

language is not clear at several parts of the MS. You need to check grammar. 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear  Authors

In general, This research on the yellow leaf rust and stem rust is hopefully done very well. But it would be nice if you can add some more ideas in discussion section regarding new races and possibilities to be epidemic in future. You may also needed to explain more breakdown wheat genes in temperate area which is favorite region for yellow leaf rust to propagate more.

Sincerely

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

Thanks for the corrected version. I have following concerns

1. If you don´t know exactly what cultivars are represented in Figure 2 just remove the figure. That should not be part of the MS then. I am surprised you have conducted experiment and you doesn't know the cultivar presented in the picture in your manuscript. 

2.  Table 7 line 1-34 you say you do not have pedigree of the lines but have gene combinations these lines doesn't have either presented for few more in the same table. if you can not provide full information just delete these lines from the table. Otherwise what audience is supposed to learn from your manuscript? 

3.  Regarding dominant races during the study period, in your methodology you say at line 187 -190 you are sending the infected samples to Global Rust Reference Center (GRRC) in Denmark. So you might be receiving the reports on the samples you submit. So what was the finding / races reported. One or two or more races may be more frequent in your samples. 

I am not fully convinced by your responses to these particular questions. 

Looking forward to the answers

Thanking You

Comments on the Quality of English Language

It's fairly improved in new version. 

Author Response

Response to article (2^nd round). Seville (Spain), 04/11/2023

Characterization of wheat yellow rust and stem rust virulence in southern Spain (revisions in Agriculture)

Note that the title of the article have slightly changed

Jaime Nolasco Rodríguez-Vázquez *, Karim Ammar, Ignacio Solís, Fernando Martínez-Moreno

Reviewer 1 (major revision)

Dear Authors,

Thanks for the corrected version. I have following concerns

1. If you don´t know exactly what cultivars are represented in Figure 2 just remove the figure. That should not be part of the MS then. I am surprised you have conducted experiment and you doesn't know the cultivar presented in the picture in your manuscript. 

In the new version of the manuscript, they are written the cultivars presented in the figures 1 and 2.

2. Table 7 line 1-34 you say you do not have pedigree of the lines but have gene combinations these lines doesn't have either presented for few more in the same table. if you can not provide full information just delete these lines from the table. Otherwise what audience is supposed to learn from your manuscript? 

The Table 7 is now presented as Table S1 (supplementary, MS Excel file), and now have further details on the different lines that composed this big multi-collection of stem rust differentials.

3. Regarding dominant races during the study period, in your methodology you say at line 187 -190 you are sending the infected samples to Global Rust Reference Center (GRRC) in Denmark. So you might be receiving the reports on the samples you submit. So what was the finding / races reported. One or two or more races may be more frequent in your samples. 

In the new writing of the Results and Discussion, information of the main and more frequent races of yellow and stem rust are included.

I am not fully convinced by your responses to these particular questions. 

Looking forward to the answers

Thanking You

Round 3

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors

Thanks for the revision.

This version can be accepted. 

 All the best!