Alleviation of Stripe Rust Disease in Wheat Seedlings Using Three Different Species of Trichoderma spp.
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Provide a more comprehensive introduction to the global impact of wheat stripe rust (WSR) and its economic implications. This will help readers understand the significance of the research.
Clearly state the limitations of current control methods such as fungicides and resistant genotypes, and elaborate on the challenges posed by the emergence of new Pst races.
Expand on the biological control concept for readers who might not be familiar with it. Describe how Trichoderma species function as biocontrol agents against fungal pathogens, especially their mode of action in inducing plant resistance.
Provide more details about the experimental setup, including the sources of Trichoderma isolates and their identification methods.
Elaborate on the reasons for selecting the specific 34 wheat genotypes, and how they represent diverse genetic backgrounds and geographic origins.
Given the stability of Trichoderma asperellum T34's performance across temperature regimes.
Discuss the potential mechanisms that make this isolate more resilient under varying conditions compared to the other isolates.
Provide more details about the statistical methods used to analyze the data. Describe the parameters that were measured to assess WSR resistance, and explain how these were used to determine the effectiveness of Trichoderma treatments.
Present a comprehensive discussion of the results, particularly focusing on the biological mechanisms underlying the improved WSR resistance observed with Trichoderma spp. treatments. Consider discussing the potential involvement of induced systemic resistance (ISR) and priming effects.
Discuss the practical implications of your findings in terms of sustainable disease management strategies. Can the Trichoderma spp. treatments be scaled up for field applications?
Consider addressing potential challenges or limitations of using Trichoderma-based biological control in real-world agricultural scenarios. Are there any factors, such as application timing or environmental conditions, that could influence the success of this approach?
In your conclusion, highlight the novelty and significance of your findings in the context of controlling WSR. Emphasize how this study contributes to the existing knowledge and understanding of biological control strategies in agriculture.
Carefully proofread the manuscript for grammar, clarity, and logical flow. Ambiguities or unclear statements can make it difficult for readers to grasp the findings and implications of the study.
Overall, the manuscript shows promise in addressing an important agricultural issue. Addressing the above suggestions can help strengthen the clarity, validity, and impact of your research.
Carefully proofread the manuscript for grammar, clarity, and logical flow. Ambiguities or unclear statements can make it difficult for readers to grasp the findings and implications of the study.
Author Response
Dear Dr reviewer,
Thank you for your comments. All your comments were considered and highlighted in green.
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
1.Provide a more comprehensive introduction to the global impact of wheat stripe rust (WSR) and its economic implications. This will help readers understand the significance of the research.
More information on WSR was added in the introduction.
2.Clearly state the limitations of current control methods such as fungicides and resistant genotypes, and elaborate on the challenges posed by the emergence of new Pst races.
The required information was added in the introduction section.
- Expand on the biological control concept for readers who might not be familiar with it. Describe how Trichoderma species function as biocontrol agents against fungal pathogens, especially their mode of action in inducing plant resistance.
The required information was added in the introduction section.
- Provide more details about the experimental setup, including the sources of Trichoderma isolates and their identification methods.
More information was added in materials and methods section.
- Elaborate on the reasons for selecting the specific 34 wheat genotypes, and how they represent diverse genetic backgrounds and geographic origins.
The 34 genotypes were selected from our previous study based on their response to T34 as described in the plant material section. They represent 10 different countries listed in Table S1.
- Given the stability of Trichoderma asperellum T34's performance across temperature regimes.
Thank you for your comment. However, I am not sure that I got your point here. The stability of T34 was concluded based on its effectiveness under the different temperatures. No specific test for stability was conducted.
- Discuss the potential mechanisms that make this isolate more resilient under varying conditions compared to the other isolates.
Thank you for your comment. This is a very important point that should be taken in concern. However, the studies done in this manuscript is preliminary. More studies are required to understand the mechanism of T34 in controlling WSR. For sure we will continue our research to provide more understanding on this mechanism. But we focus first in testing its efficiency in controlling such a serious disease.
- Provide more details about the statistical methods used to analyze the data. Describe the parameters that were measured to assess WSR resistance, and explain how these were used to determine the effectiveness of Trichoderma treatments.
The full description of these parameters was illustrated in the section 2.4. The effectiveness of T34 was detected based in the improvement occurred in WSR resistance.
- Present a comprehensive discussion of the results, particularly focusing on the biological mechanisms underlying the improved WSR resistance observed with Trichoderma spp. treatments. Consider discussing the potential involvement of induced systemic resistance (ISR) and priming effects.
More information was added in the discussion section.
- Discuss the practical implications of your findings in terms of sustainable disease management strategies. Can the Trichoderma spp. treatments be scaled up for field applications?
More studies are required to answer this question. We are trying this application in the field at the recent time and will come up to an answer on this question soon.
- Consider addressing potential challenges or limitations of using Trichoderma-based biological control in real-world agricultural scenarios. Are there any factors, such as application timing or environmental conditions, that could influence the success of this approach?
Of cource there are many factors that could affect the usage of T34 as a bioagent. However, as it was mentioned previously, this is a preliminary study, and more studies are still in progress. This was mentioned in the manuscript. Mentioning any limitations in the recent study could be misleading in our point of view as the time is very early to mention these limitations.
- In your conclusion, highlight the novelty and significance of your findings in the context of controlling WSR. Emphasize how this study contributes to the existing knowledge and understanding of biological control strategies in agriculture.
More information regarding this point was added to the conclusion.
- Carefully proofread the manuscript for grammar, clarity, and logical flow. Ambiguities or unclear statements can make it difficult for readers to grasp the findings and implications of the study.
The manuscript was carefully revised and adjusted.
Overall, the manuscript shows promise in addressing an important agricultural issue. Addressing the above suggestions can help strengthen the clarity, validity, and impact of your research.
Comments on the Quality of English Language
Carefully proofread the manuscript for grammar, clarity, and logical flow. Ambiguities or unclear statements can make it difficult for readers to grasp the findings and implications of the study.
Reviewer 2 Report
Esmail et al. presented interesting data using Trichoderma spp. to alleviate stripe rust disease in wheat seedlings. It is well-written & the results are delivered well. I suggest minor changes that the authors can find below.
Abstract
Line 25- Out of the three studied species- readers can be confused about what species the authors indicate. It would be better to say, "three Trichoderma species"
Introduction
Line 33-34- The two introductory sentences can be combined into one sentence.
Line 39- In the past 75 years.... - I think the sentence needs a citation.
Line 62- Mycorrhizal spp. to Mycorrhizal fungi
Materials and Methods
Line 79- I see the authors used "in the current study" throughout the manuscript. I would like to change some to "in this study" or similar words.
Line 79- a number of 34- It would be beneficial if you could provide the exact number.
Line 84- Moreover... ten countries, including countries A, B, C, ... - to provide the major countries
Line 87-90- In our previous study- need a citation
Also, these lines (up to temperatures were used) were already provided in the introduction, so I don't think repeating them here is necessary.
Line 92- humidity,(space)16
Line 103- 28 ±(space)2(space) oC. Also, the degree Celsius mark should be used- ℃
Line 104- Spore suspensions of both isolates- did you mean the three isolates>
Also, can you elaborate on how you applied Trichoderma in detail?
Line 110- The fresh mixtures of the most recent P. striiformis- do you have the names of the strains?
Figures- Boxplots need units for the x-axis if applicable.
Line 217- (Figure 4 and Figure S1.).- Figure 4a? and "." can be deleted after S1.
Line 219-220- Under T34.... While this number... - the two lines can be combined into one sentence.
Line 224- Furthermore, it was susceptible- I realized the authors use MR, R, ..., etc, but not S for susceptible. I'm just wondering why.
Line 236- However, two genotypes were susceptible... - can you provide statistical data for the cultivars?
Line 250- However, after one day- On the other hand or similar word to replace "However"...
Figure 6. Line 255- Italic for Puccinia striiformis
Line 259- To provide more understanding... the genetic distance....- based on SNP data?
Line 263- Notably, the five immune genotypes under T34 were common- it is confusing what common means here. Can you rewrite the sentence?
Line 278- 7.35 to 1.95- can you provide S.D. or S.E.M & P-value?
Discussion
Line 284- Some of the effective- can you come up with other words?
Line 328- Therefore, we can conclude that TV requires- the statement is a bit strong. As the other example is in soybean, it is too early to say that we can conclude....
Line 361- Therefore, we can conclude... - The statement is too strong. As the authors tested only a limited pathogen (only one mixture instead of testing multiple isolates)-wheat-Trichoderma interactions, I think it is too early to conclude.
Overall, well written, but minor revisions can help throughout the manuscript.
Author Response
Dear Dr. Reviewer,
Thank you so much for your valuable comments. All your comments were considered and included in the revised version.
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Esmail et al. presented interesting data using Trichoderma spp. to alleviate stripe rust disease in wheat seedlings. It is well-written & the results are delivered well. I suggest minor changes that the authors can find below.
Abstract
Line 25- Out of the three studied species- readers can be confused about what species the authors indicate. It would be better to say, "three Trichoderma species"
Thank you for your comment. The sentence was adjusted as suggested.
Introduction
Line 33-34- The two introductory sentences can be combined into one sentence.
They were combined.
Line 39- In the past 75 years.... - I think the sentence needs a citation.
Citation was added.
Line 62- Mycorrhizal spp. to Mycorrhizal fungi
It was changed.
Materials and Methods
Line 79- I see the authors used "in the current study" throughout the manuscript. I would like to change some to "in this study" or similar words.
It was changed throughout the manuscript.
Line 79- a number of 34- It would be beneficial if you could provide the exact number.
The number of the tested genotypes was 34. So, 34 is the exact number of the studied genotypes.
Line 84- Moreover... ten countries, including countries A, B, C, ... - to provide the major countries
Countries were added to the sentence.
Line 87-90- In our previous study- need a citation
Citation was added.
Also, these lines (up to temperatures were used) were already provided in the introduction, so I don't think repeating them here is necessary.
Not sure that I got your point here. In the experimental design, we clarified that we used two different chambers to test the best Trichoderma spp. under different conditions. We didn’t explain the effect of the temperature in the material and methods. The effect of temperature on WSR was mentioned in the introduction and didn’t repeat again the material and methods section.
Line 92- humidity,(space)16
The space was added. Thanks for catching this mistyping.
Line 103- 28 ±(space)2(space) oC. Also, the degree Celsius mark should be used- ℃
The space was added. Thanks for catching this mistyping.
Line 104- Spore suspensions of both isolates- did you mean the three isolates>
Yes. It was changed.
Also, can you elaborate on how you applied Trichoderma in detail?
More details were added to this part.
Line 110- The fresh mixtures of the most recent P. striiformis- do you have the names of the strains?
The names of the strains were mentioned in the manuscript “78E189 and 262E31”
Figures- Boxplots need units for the x-axis if applicable.
Units were added to the boxplots.
Line 217- (Figure 4 and Figure S1.).- Figure 4a? and "." can be deleted after S1.
Figure 4b. “.”was deleted.
Line 219-220- Under T34.... While this number... - the two lines can be combined into one sentence.
The two sentences were combined.
Line 224- Furthermore, it was susceptible- I realized the authors use MR, R, ..., etc, but not S for susceptible. I'm just wondering why.
It was changed to S.
Line 236- However, two genotypes were susceptible... - can you provide statistical data for the cultivars?
Not sure the I got your point here. The two genotypes had susceptible IT and the data is shown in Table S1.
Line 250- However, after one day- On the other hand or similar word to replace "However"...
It was replaced to “Notably”.
Figure 6. Line 255- Italic for Puccinia striiformis
It was written in italic.
Line 259- To provide more understanding... the genetic distance....- based on SNP data?
Yes, it was calculated based on SNP data. It was illustrated in section 2.7.
Line 263- Notably, the five immune genotypes under T34 were common- it is confusing what common means here. Can you rewrite the sentence?
The sentence was rewritten to “Notably, the five immune genotypes under T34 were immune in the two experiments.”
Line 278- 7.35 to 1.95- can you provide S.D. or S.E.M & P-value?
p-value was added.
Discussion
Line 284- Some of the effective- can you come up with other words?
It was adjusted to Trichoderma spp. are among the effective bioagents that are available at the commercial level”
Line 328- Therefore, we can conclude that TV requires- the statement is a bit strong. As the other example is in soybean, it is too early to say that we can conclude....
It was adjusted.
Line 361- Therefore, we can conclude... - The statement is too strong. As the authors tested only a limited pathogen (only one mixture instead of testing multiple isolates)-wheat-Trichoderma interactions, I think it is too early to conclude.
The sentence was reworded.
