Jasmonic Acid and Salicylic Acid Levels in Defense Response of Azalea (Rhododendron simsii Hybrid) to Broad Mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors, congratulations on such an important paper, investigating Jasmonic acid and salicylic acid levels in defense response of azalea to broad mite.

There are some points to be addressed before the paper acceptance.

The overall manuscript covers many experiments, cultivars, and mites’ species and thus is difficult to follow. I suggest rewriting some parts in order to stay focused.

 

Abstract

The abstract is very well written but I would avoid the speculative part related to the T. confuses not being harmful to azalea. This needs further confirmation.

Introduction section

Please rephrase this sentence, in the current form it is confusing: The high concentration of companies makes that growers face common crop protection problems.

Line 82: correct possess to posses

This is an important point, please evaluate it further, adding some references.

Line 115 correct In this study we aimed to study... to In this research we aimed to study

Line 117 correct but also the also the long term responses were analyzed

M&M section

Line 123: this sub-section title seems unfinished, shortly after what?

Line 126 correct Thereto

Line 129 correct on on ebb and flow tables

Line 138: binocular microscope?

Line 152: In experiment 2 no tarsonemid mites were artificially introduced into the crop. Instead, the natural distribution of P. latus was monitored closely.

How did the inoculation naturally occur in the greenhouse?  It had to arrive with plant material or instruments used? Maybe the substrates? Please explain?

Line 154: the title states 32 weeks but the experiment accounted 37?

 

The results section is well written but somewhat difficult to follow due to a different number of investigated cultivars as well as 3 different experiments. Some parts look like belonging to another manuscript. Figures 2 and 3 are very difficult for reading and analyze thus I recommend high resolution in the final online form, which can be freely assessed by the readers.

What does the term MOCK treatment refer to?

Discussion section

Lines 382 – 392 after such detailed analyses related to the artificial application of JA as well as molecular studies, pertinent study seem like something that was done before all these or was supposed to be conducted prior to mentioned studies.  Why did you opt for such a research schedule?

Lines 424 – 434 This part is very significant signaling that active resistance mechanisms are involved in JA synthesis and plant defense. Since it involves active plant response and the hypersensitive reaction I agree that the timing is crucial in this type of research and suggest further confirmation in more focused research. In the current paper, too many experiments and too many genotypes lead to scattered indices and conclusions.

 

Conclusion section

 

Please state the practical application of the obtained results. 

Author Response

Please find the responses in the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This manuscript presents and discusses the analytical results of jasmonic acid and salicylic acid levels in the tissues of azalea (Rhododendron simsii hybrid) in response to broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) infection. The topic is generally interesting and hugely investigated in many plant-pest interactions. They showed that responses of JA and SA in the azalea plant is highly dependent on the type of mite. This experimental work merit publication, however, the manuscript needs major revision for establishing a strong rationale in the Introduction section and focus on the novelty and perspective in the Discussion section. The abstract needs to be precise and in one paragraph only.  During revision, the authors should improve the quality of the Figures and update the literature with some recent works on the plant's JA and SA responses to insect attacks.

Author Response

Please find the responses to the comments of the reviewer in the attachment. 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

All necessary changes were implemented accodingly. Thank you. 

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have significantly revised the manuscript and it is now acceptable for publication. However, it needs careful editing for improving readability and language.