Foliar Applications of Calcium, Silicon and Their Combination: A Tool to Improve Grape Composition and Quality
, Miriam González-Lázaro 1, David Alonso-Ortiz de Urbina 1, Itziar Sáenz de Urturi 1, Sandra Marín-San Román 1, Rebeca Murillo-Peña 1, Lesly L. Torres-Díaz 1, Eva P. Pérez-Álvarez 1,* and Victoria Fernández 2Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This study examines the impact of foliar treatments of calcium (Ca) and silicon (Si) on the quality and chemical composition of Tempranillo grapes in a vineyard. The research finds that these treatments have a slight effect on general parameters in the grape musts. The study suggests that further research is needed to understand the effect of Ca and Si foliar treatments on grape phenolic content, as their impact may vary depending on the grape variety. The manuscript is well written. I’d expect the following specific information to be included.
Specific information/composition about the Genapol water solution used for the control samples. A table would aid readability.
Exactly how was the solution applied to the plants. What equipment was used?, the application time?, percentage of foliage coverage? Any abnormal weather conditions during the trial? Methods used to mitigate of cross contamination between plants?
Details of the randomised block design needed. A diagram or figure would help.
Reasoning for using 120nM concentration?
What NIST library version did you use?
Include the Ca and Si concentration details in the abstract.
Author Response
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
This study examines the impact of foliar treatments of calcium (Ca) and silicon (Si) on the quality and chemical composition of Tempranillo grapes in a vineyard. The research finds that these treatments have a slight effect on general parameters in the grape musts. The study suggests that further research is needed to understand the effect of Ca and Si foliar treatments on grape phenolic content, as their impact may vary depending on the grape variety. The manuscript is well written. I’d expect the following specific information to be included.
Specific information/composition about the Genapol water solution used for the control samples. A table would aid readability.
Response: In accordance with the reviewer's suggestion, we have added information about Genapol and the control treatment (lines 89-91), a product purchased at Sigma-Aldrich, whose characteristics can be found on the page https://www.sigmaaldrich.com/ES/en/product/sigma/48750.
Exactly how was the solution applied to the plants. What equipment was used?, the application time?, percentage of foliage coverage? Any abnormal weather conditions during the trial? Methods used to mitigate of cross contamination between plants?
Response: The foliar applications were made at 8 in the morning, and in favorable climatic conditions (without wind or rain, neither on the day of the application nor the following days). All treatments were applied with an electric sprayer (Pulmic Pegasus), applying the aqueous solutions so that all the leaves were covered. Between each block, 2 vines were left as a border, to avoid cross contamination, and worked was done in alternate rows, so that one row acts as a border between replicates.
Details of the randomised block design needed. A diagram or figure would help.
Response: Three alternate rows were used in the vineyard, so that the 4 treatments under study were carried out in each row, sorting the position of each one of them in each of the three rows of the trial.
Reasoning for using 120nM concentration?
Response: The Ca and Si concentrations used as foliar sprays were selected on the basis of previous studies carried out by the authors with various crop plants which showed evidence of foliar Ca and Si absorption without causing any sort of leaf injury after foliar treatment.
What NIST library version did you use?
Response: version 14.
Include the Ca and Si concentration details in the abstract.
Response: According to the reviewer's suggestion, we have added the concentration of Ca and Si in the Abstract (line 17).
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear editor,
The paper entitled ‘Foliar applications of Ca, Si and their combination: A tool to improve the grape composition and quality’ presents a nice idea about studying the impact of foliar nutrients application on plant productivity. In general paper is nicely presented with appropriate scientific format, however there are some suggestions which need to addressed which have been given below:
English grammar requires improvement throughout. The paper requires substantial revision. The authors sometimes use terms very loosely (for example abstract)
Why is only one concentration used for each treatment? Why is the concentration of 120 mM chosen?
Ca has a low mobility within the plant tissue, Therefore, its foliar application may have little effect on fruit characteristics.
How many days before harvest treatments applied?
What was the harvest index?
English grammar requires improvement throughout. The paper requires substantial revision. The authors sometimes use terms very loosely (for example abstract)
Author Response
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Dear editor,
The paper entitled ‘Foliar applications of Ca, Si and their combination: A tool to improve the grape composition and quality’ presents a nice idea about studying the impact of foliar nutrients application on plant productivity. In general paper is nicely presented with appropriate scientific format, however there are some suggestions which need to addressed which have been given below:
English grammar requires improvement throughout. The paper requires substantial revision. The authors sometimes use terms very loosely (for example abstract)
Response: Based on the reviewer's suggestion, we have tried to improve the English.
Why is only one concentration used for each treatment? Why is the concentration of 120 mM chosen?
Response: The Ca and Si concentrations used as foliar sprays were selected on the basis of previous studies carried out by the authors with various crop plants which showed evidence of foliar Ca and Si absorption without causing any sort of leaf injury after foliar treatment.
Ca has a low mobility within the plant tissue, Therefore, its foliar application may have little effect on fruit characteristics.
Response: From the results obtained in this work, it seems that the foliar application of this element has an impact on the composition and quality of the grapes.
How many days before harvest treatments applied?
Response: A month elapsed between the application of the treatments and the harvest.
What was the harvest index?
Response: This information has been added in the manuscript (lines 97-98).
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
