Effects of a Plasma Water and Biostimulant on Lawn Functional Value
, Adam Radkowski 2,*, Karen Khachatryan 3, Henryk Bujak 4,5 and Jan Bocianowski 6Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Review Agronomy turf grass
The paper fits thematically with the scope of Agronomy. However, it does not meet the expected standard papers published in this journal, for the following reasons:
1. The paper is based on one single experiment, which limits the possibility to generalize the results beyond the specific situation studied. Thus, the results are of limited interest to a wider audience.
2 The data were not normally distributed. This is surprising since this type of data normally follow the normal distribution. This is very unfortunate as it meant that the data could not be analysed according to the original plan as a split-plot experiments with main effects and interactions using ANOVA. Instead, it had to be analysed as two separate experiments, one including different seed mixtures and another including different plant treatments. The lack of interaction test also limits the value of the study. Large standard deviation for many of the variables worsen the situation.
3.The Conclusion section is to a large extent very speculative, and unsupported by data from the study presented. Since the mechanisms of action for the biostimulant and plasma water treatments were not studied, it is not appropriate to speculate about them in the Conclusion section. It is fine to speculate in the Discussion section, but not in the Conclusion. This also applies for the Abstract which also includes some of the unsupported speculations from the Conclusion section.
Author Response
The answers are in the added file
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
i suggest to add some conclusions in the abstract
Author Response
The answers are in the added file
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
Referee Report of the Manuscript ‘Effects of a plasma water and biostimulant on lawn functional value' submitted to the Agronomy by Marta Talar-Krasa, Karol Wolski, Adam Radkowski, Karen Khachatryan, Henryk Bujak, and Jan Bocianowski.
This manuscript discusses the use efficiency of algae-based biostimulant, plasma water, and mineral fertilizers for grass in the context of lawn functional value.
The main contribution of the article is aimed at further progress in the development of biostimulant science.
Definitely, the Manuscript has a certain potential to be published in Agronomy.
However, it should be still improved to be more consistent with the current state of biostimulant science and the level of the target journal.
I recommend accepting this manuscript after a major revision.
Minor comments:
- It is necessary to clarify the component composition of the considered biostimulant.
Alginic acid and amino acids as its main components? (abstract)
On the other hand, one of the research aims was to investigate the effect of "a biostimulant based on humic acids and their salts".
In this regard, what did the authors actually investigate?
- A more detailed analysis of the literature in the context of low-pressure glow plasma (LPGP), the application, efficiency, and mechanism of action of Plasma water is needed.
More about obtaining Plasma water and its properties.
- In the Introduction, the authors cite a number of highly conceptual works in biostimulant science: Calvo et al., Posmyk and Szafrańska, Yakhin et al., du Jardin, Chojnacka, Hamza and Shuger, Torre et al., Halpern et al., Bulgari et al.
These are important articles in the context of the manuscript concept.
However, they are discussed too briefly in the manuscript.
However, readers will find it difficult to assess their meaning in the context of this manuscript, as it exists now.
It is necessary to describe in more detail the concepts and contributions presented in these articles to biostimulant science.
In this regard, the authors could also discuss the works of Caradonia et al. (2018) and Deng et al. (2019).
It would definitely strengthen the manuscript as well.
- The authors note a synergistic effect of biostimulants.
It is necessary to discuss this in more detail in general for biostimulants and in particular in the context of the peer-reviewed manuscript concept.
In this regard, it is also necessary to discuss the concepts of additivity and emergent properties in the manifestation of the biostimulant mechanism of action.
- The authors cite the work of Mueller et al. and Daneshvar et al. in the context of the use of biostimulants and phytohormones.
There may still be works that consider the use of biostimulants, growth regulators, fertilizers for grass, lawn.
It is necessary to discuss these in more detail.
- The authors briefly refer to their previous work:
Radkowski, A .; Radkowska, I .; Wolski, K. Effect of silicon foliar application on the functional value of lawns. J. Elem. 2018, 23 (4), 1257-1270. doi: 10.5601 / jelem.2017.22.4.1540 Radkowski, A .; Radkowska, I .; Bocianowski, J .; Sladkovska, T .; Wolski, K. The effect of foliar application of an amino acid based biostimulant on lawn functional value. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1656; doi: 10.3390 / agronomy10111656
It is necessary to discuss these in more detail as well as their meaning in the context of the reviewed manuscript.
- It is necessary to provide a description in more detail about used slow-release mineral fertilizer.
- It is necessary to provide a description in more detail about the technology for obtaining Bio-algeen S90.
Environmental and toxicological characteristics, physical and chemical properties?
- It is necessary to describe the situation more clearly and in detail for all the investigated parameters under the action of biostimulants - how the biostimulant acted by itself, in all combinations. The same goes for plasma water and fertilizers.
- Why did density on plots with Factor B5 (NPK fertilizers + biostimulant + plasma water) decrease, while on those with plasma water and mineral fertilizers it remained favourable?
- The reasons for the highest resistance to infection of mixtures treated with plasma water, and slightly lower for turf treated with the biostimulant?
- It is necessary to discuss and hypothesize in more detail the mechanisms of action of biostimulant and plasma water, including an analysis of the entire variety of literature data.
- It is necessary to provide a definition for biostimulants supported by the authors of the manuscript.
It is also necessary to explain why the investigated product based on algae is a biostimulant. The fact is that in a number of articles such products are discussed either as a biostimulant, or as a fertilizer, or as a double function. What is this from the point of view of the authors and what evidence?
It is also desirable to formulate in the manuscript the scientific and regulatory definitions of biostimulants to provide correct discussion and conclusions.
- How is plasma water categorized?
By the way, can plasma water be discussed as a biostimulant too ?!
- Are the authors sure that the Figures are made in the optimal and best way?
- To exclude the potential risk of conceptual plagiarism and self-plagiarism, it is necessary to look once again through all close to MS and similar works in the literature, make appropriate references, and discuss earlier results, if any, both by MS authors' own and other authors, from articles to conference proceedings including the same on the other languages too.
Major comments:
- What principally novel, innovative concepts could be suggested by authors of the reviewed manuscript to contribute significantly to the biostimulant science?
What is fundamentally new that this manuscript introduces and implements compared to other previously published works in this sphere of research?
- In order to meet the high level of Agronomy and provide the novelty and high-level MS content, it is necessary to significantly revise and rewrite the manuscript towards developing, presenting, and substantiating more with promising innovative ideas, concepts, approaches, and fundamental methodology.
This approach is necessary for the title of MS, an abstract, body text, conclusions.
Author Response
The answers are in the added file
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Unfortunately, the authors did not pay enough attention to my comments in the first referee review.
In this regard, it is necessary to once again thoroughly consider all my questions and comments from the first referee report and provide more systemic and conceptual answers and discussion for the entire text of the manuscript.
In addition, in the context of the manuscript, the concepts of additivity, synergism, emergence/emergent properties for biostimulants should be considered and discussed in particular and in great detail.
These are the key challenges in biostimulant science today. At the same time, in the context of the concept of this manuscript, a significant contribution can be made to these aspects.
Author Response
Thank you very much for your comments. The entire manuscript has been thoroughly revised. We've added all the reviewers' suggestions to the manuscript.
Studying interaction between the biostimulant and plasma water was not the aim of our research at this stage. A group of scientists at various places are conducting research on the interaction between plasma water and simple substances, gases and salts. These are basic research that will allow us to propose and predict possible effects of plasma water on various, more complicated preparations in the future. We are in close contact with them, but at this stage any clear conclusion about the interaction of such a complex product as Bio-algeen S90 (the detailed composition of which we do not even know) with plasma water would be speculation.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
