Effect of Asynchronous Light and Temperature Fluctuations on Plant Traits in Indoor Growth Facilities

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

It is a well written study, analyzing and comparing impacts of constant and dynamic light and temperature profiles on 7 plant species cultivated under controlled environment. The topic is actual and important for plant R&D. Introduction is short, but purposeful. Materials and methods presented in detailed. Well analyzed and discussed results are important both for plant research and plant production. Figures at least in this pdf file are of low resolution, this should be improved. Conclusions are slightly restrained, but provide interesting ideas. 

I recommend this manuscript can be considered after minor revisions of the figure quality. 

Author Response

Dear reviewer
In behave of all the authors, I would like to thank you for your review and comments. As you mentioned we have improve the quality of the figures. I personally apology for this mistake.

Thanks for your help.
In behave of the authors, Camilo Chiang.

Reviewer 2 Report

I consider that the 4 treatments that serve as the basis for presenting the results are not clearly explained in the methodology part. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show “four treatment combinations (fixed, Fix. Or variable, Var.) Of two environmental factors (light, L and air temperature and humidity, T). But what do these treatments really consist of?

Author Response

Dear reviewer
In behave of all the authors, I would like to thank you for your review and comments, as these ones help to improve the quality of our work.

As you recommended an explanation of the 4 treatments as been added in lines 138-140. A posteriori to this explanation,  the different levels of the environmental conditions that were applied in each treatment are also explained in detail.

In behave of the authors, Camilo Chiang.

Reviewer 3 Report

The manuscript is devoted to a highly relevant topic in modern plant farming, which is, establishment of light and temperature conditions in greenhouses helping to achieve organic production with product properties comparable to those of plants grown outdoors. Using a range of plants with highly contrasting characteristics (trees vs. herbs, etc.) authors convincingly showed that light fluctuations within non-growth-limiting range positively affected plant growth and productivity, while fluctuations of temperature in constant light background caused negative effects. Altogether, they suggested that synchronous variations in light and temperature represent the most beneficial combination of regimens to obtain plants with natural-like characteristics.

I have only two comments. First, the quality (i.e. resolution) of the figures is unsatisfactory; I suppose that the authors will replace current figures with better ones in the final version of the manuscript. Second, I think it would be important to mention within the manuscript that although the data on plants parameters obtained from the field trial were taken from previously published papers, the phytotron experiments analyzed in this manuscript were conducted independently and represent a newly obtained dataset. If this is not the case, i.e. if the manuscript deals with a new evaluation of previously obtained and published datasets, I do not see a problem with this, but it should be properly described and cited.

Minor comment:

Line 391: Reference [23] is missing from the list

Author Response

Dear reviewer
In behave of all the authors, I would like to thank you for your review and comments as these ones improve the quality of our work.

As you mentioned we have improve the quality of the figures. I personally apology for this mistake. Additionally as you recommend it, an explanation of the originality of the dataset was added in lines 147-150. Reference 23 was removed from line 391.

Once again, Thanks for your help.
In behave of the authors, Camilo Chiang.