Nutrient Extraction in Pansy Fertigated with Pure, Diluted, Depurated and Phytodepurated Leachates from Municipal Solid Waste

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors have studied the potential use of MSW leachates as fertilizers for growing ornamental plants. The study area is more relevant and important because the amount of garbage collected in the landfills is increased with the increase in population. The importance of recycling the MSW leachate is highlighted in the manuscript. The authors have reasonably selected the treatments and parameters for the analysis. The results showed that Phytodepuration process as one of the best options for recycling MSW leachates, which otherwise added to the soil/wastewater as contaminants.  The authors have indicated the gap in the literature and the importance of their study for environmental protection. Overall, the paper has structured well and analysed the data using appropriate techniques to meet the targets. However, I would like to provide a few comments concerning this paper. 

1. Lines 27, 93 – The title of the article mention that the study is based on Pansy plants, however, the results are based on Viola spp plants – please explain.
2. Line 94 – DAFE – Abbreviation has not defined before.
3. Line 104 – Subirrigation method? – is it drip irrigation??
4. Line 105 – Please indicate total weeks/days for each two weeks and one week fertigated frequency.
5. Line 107 – (b) Viola sp. Or Viola spp – please be consistent throughout the manuscript.
6. Line 169 – Table 5 – …in pansy …- see the comment No 1
7. Line 265 - …in Viola plants – please see comment No 1
8. Line 495 – No such reference in the reference list. Please add to the reference list.
9. Line 607 – reference 31 - No such reference in the text. Please check.
10. Lines 532-533,540-541, 560-561, 575, 586-587, 589-590, 598-599, 680-681, 688-689, 691-692, 703 – please delete additional spacing

Author Response

Response to reviewer 1

1. Lines 27, 93 – The title of the article mention that the study is based on Pansy plants, however, the results are based on Viola spp plants – please explain.

Line 73: Viola × wittrockiana is the scientific name and “pansy” is the common name.

1. Line 94 – DAFE – Abbreviation has not defined before.

Line 82: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE).

1. Line 104 – Subirrigation method? – is it drip irrigation??

Line 106-107: sub-irrigation (water and nutrient solution provided at the base of the container rises by capillary action through holes in the bottom and is absorbed by the growing media).

1. Line 105 – Please indicate total weeks/days for each two weeks and one week fertigated frequency.

Line 97 and 108: every 3 days.

Line 109: every 7 days.

1. Line 107 – (b) Viola sp. Or Viola spp – please be consistent throughout the manuscript.

Line 110: pansy is used throughout the manuscript. Viola × wittrockiana appears only in the Abstract and the Introduction

1. Line 169 – Table 5 – …in pansy …- see the comment No 1

Corrected (pansy).

1. Line 265 - …in Viola plants – please see comment No 1

Corrected (pansy).

1. Line 495 – No such reference in the reference list. Please add to the reference list.

Line 721-722: 70.       Manchanda, H.R.; Sharma, S.K.; Mor, R.P. Relative tolerance of pulses for chloride and sulphate salinity. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 1991, 61, 20-26. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600070131.

1. Line 607 – reference 31 - No such reference in the text. Please check.

Line 615-616: 31.       Reginato, M.; Sosa, L.; Llanes, A.; Hampp, E.; Vettorazzi, N.; Reinoso, H.; Luna, V. Growth responses and ion accumulation in the halophytic legume Prosopis strombulifera are determined by Na₂SO₄ and NaCl. Plant Biol. 2014, 16, 97-106. https://doi.org/10.1111/plb.12001.

In the text, it is in Line 322

1. Lines 532-533,540-541, 560-561, 575, 586-587, 589-590, 598-599, 680-681, 688-689, 691-692, 703 – please delete additional spacing

Lines 540-541, 548-549, 568-569, 583, 594-595, 597-598, 606-607, 590-591, 698-699, 701-702, 713: It seems that there is additional spacing, but it is due to the link, at the end of the reference

Reviewer 2 Report

In the light of the huge global ecological disaster which is the growing amount of waste, including leachates from municipal solid waste, the study presented by the authors of the manuscript deserve attention because they contribute to the fight against the problem of environmental pollution. The intensification of research in the direction indicated by the authors of the manuscript has now become a necessity.

My comments:

1. The paper presented to me for review raises an important topic of plant response to fertilization with leachates from municipal solid waste. But in the Introduction, it should be written why Viola ssp. was selected for research? What are the reasons why it is suitable for this type of research?
2. In Materials and Methods should also include the species of Viola, because the reaction of various species (and sometimes also cultivars) to the applied treatments may be extremely different.
3. The entire manuscript should be more scrupulously prepared in terms of adaptation to the requirements of the editorial office based on the applicable template. Among other things, please pay attention to the Tables format. In addition, the Tables appear to be overloaded. I suggest considering rounding the value to one place after the point.
4. In Conclusions, one sentence should be added containing the final summary of the presented research.

I believe that the research was carried out correctly. The research results have been presented carefully and clearly and the discussion was based on the latest literature.

Author Response

Response to reviewer 2

1. The paper presented to me for review raises an important topic of plant response to fertilization with leachates from municipal solid waste. But in the Introduction, it should be written why Viola ssp. was selected for research? What are the reasons why it is suitable for this type of research?

Lines 73-74. It was selected because it is a top selling pot species in wholesale markets. It is suitable for this research because it is planted in fall and the trial was carried out in September-November.

1. In Materials and Methods should also include the species of Viola, because the reaction of various species (and sometimes also cultivars) to the applied treatments may be extremely different.

Line 16-17, 73, 95: The species is Viola × wittrockiana (hybrid)

1. The entire manuscript should be more scrupulously prepared in terms of adaptation to the requirements of the editorial office based on the applicable template. Among other things, please pay attention to the Tables format. In addition, the Tables appear to be overloaded. I suggest considering rounding the value to one place after the point.

The format has been changed and a footer has been added

1. In Conclusions, one sentence should be added containing the final summary of the presented research.

It has been added