Cereal Husks: Versatile Roles in Grain Quality and Seedling Performance

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This comprehensive review describes the roles of cereal husk or dead organs enclosing the embryo, and provides the valuable information.  However, there are some problems need to be refined further.

1 In the part of 3. Husks function as long-term storage for beneficial substances, the author cited the reference for 'the glumes of L. chinensis accumulate various phytohormones including GA3, ABA, IAA, and zeatin (Ma et al., 2010).' Please check the terminology of 'glumes' is right or not. Generally, the glumes of L. chinensis were seperated with caryopsis after harvested or cleaned, so there is no effect on seed germination.

2 In the part of 4. The husk and storability of seeds in seed banks, the author should describe some specific substances such as wax in zoysiagrass seeds, and comprehensive structures such as glumes and bracts in buffalograss seeds.

Author Response

Thanks for the comments.

Reviewer 1

This comprehensive review describes the roles of cereal husk or dead organs enclosing the embryo, and provides the valuable information.  However, there are some problems need to be refined further.

1 In the part of 3. Husks function as long-term storage for beneficial substances, the author cited the reference for 'the glumes of L. chinensis accumulate various phytohormones including GA3, ABA, IAA, and zeatin (Ma et al., 2010).' Please check the terminology of 'glumes' is right or not. Generally, the glumes of L. chinensis were seperated with caryopsis after harvested or cleaned, so there is no effect on seed germination.

Yes, this is the correct term, glumes. And the glumes appear to contain phytohormones at a significantly higher level than the naked seeds. Indeed, in most cases dead floral bracts of cereals are removed, which may lead to lose of the beneficial effects husk might have on seed longevity, germination and seedling establishment.  

2 In the part of 4. The husk and storability of seeds in seed banks, the author should describe some specific substances such as wax in zoysia grass seeds, and comprehensive structures such as glumes and bracts in buffalo grass seeds.

Thanks for this comment. Although we could not find scientific reports regarding wax in zoysia grass seeds, we included reports addressing the negative effect of floral bracts on  germination of buffalo and zoysia grass seeds (Refs 15,16; see section The role of husk and other dead coverings in seed biology and ecology).

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors did an excellent job summarizing findings in this area. One suggestion would be to add a (small) section on value adding processes/options for husks, given the interest in valorizing by-products of cereal processing 

Author Response

Thanks!

Reviewer 2

The authors did an excellent job summarizing findings in this area. One suggestion would be to add a (small) section on value adding processes/options for husks, given the interest in valorizing by-products of cereal processing.

We referred to the potential exploitation of husks as by-products in the conclusions section (Refs 81,82).