Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

firstly all praises for the extensive work that was carried out, however, the presentation of your work needs to be improved.

The manuscript is very detailed and long, unfortunately it lacks more structure- the whole manuscript, especially the introduction section, should be thoroughly revised and more summarized. In that way, the manuscript will be more easily read by the readers and will be easier for understanding. The manuscript in the present form is very difficult to follow and to read in one sitting to the end.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English revision needed to make sentences more clear and structured.

Author Response

Responses to reviewer’s 1 comments

 

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

1

Firstly, all praises for the extensive work that was carried out, however, the presentation of your work needs to be improved.

Many thanks!

2

The manuscript is very detailed and long, unfortunately it lacks more structure- the whole manuscript, especially the introduction section, should be thoroughly revised and more summarized. In that way, the manuscript will be more easily read by the readers and will be easier for understanding. The manuscript in the present form is very difficult to follow and to read in one sitting to the end.

Many thanks! We paid special attention to the concern you raised and have thoroughly revised the entire manuscript in order to make easier to read and follow

3

Comments on the Quality of English Language

English revision needed to make sentences more clear and structured.

We also revised this issue. Many thanks again!

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear authors,

Thank you for this interesting and comprehensive research related to wild and noble grapevines. Although there are many works on the topic of wild grapevines, seed morphology seems very important, but less studied.

The topic is excellently and comprehensively developed, and the results are presented objectively.

However, through many works read, results and discussions, as well as through my own four-year research on wild grapevines (V. sylvestris), I am completely convinced that the principle related to wild grapevines, stated in the Bible (Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 2) is true.

There are surprisingly few citations of scientific works that point in this direction, although no one has ever systematically refuted it. Regarding the status of the wild vine, I would agree with the statement of Stinca 2019 Anali di botanica: "However, most of these literature data should be verified because, since they have been collected before the revision of Vitis in Italy by Ardenghi et al. (2014), may refer to alien taxa. Moreover, all the recent reports are clearly referred to cultivated plants and subsequently spontaneous (i.e. V. vinifera s.s.), although it is believed that cultivars have a low chance to survive in the wild (Grassi et al., 2003))",

as well as with the statement of Walker et al. cit. Wen et al., 2018: « Most genera of Vitaceae need to be taxonomically revised.

In the attached pdf there are some additional comments.

Wish you all the very best.

Kind regards

Reviewer

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Responses to reviewer’s 2 comments

 

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1

Dear authors,

Thank you for this interesting and comprehensive research related to wild and noble grapevines. Although there are many works on the topic of wild grapevines, seed morphology seems very important, but less studied.

Many thanks!

The topic is excellently and comprehensively developed, and the results are presented objectively.

Many thanks!

2

However, through many works read, results and discussions, as well as through my own four-year research on wild grapevines (V. sylvestris), I am completely convinced that the principle related to wild grapevines, stated in the Bible (Isaiah 5, Jeremiah 2) is true.

There are surprisingly few citations of scientific works that point in this direction, although no one has ever systematically refuted it.

Many thanks! We added this comment with our view in the discussion:

Biblical texts provide early documented evidence of vineyard heterogeneity and deterioration, notably in prophetic passages addressing the Israelites. This phenomenon may be attributed to propagation through seedlings rather than clonal reproduction. Two significant references illustrate this viticultural challenge: In Isaiah 5, the text employs the metaphor for a carefully tended vineyard that produces inferior fruit, stating "He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour." Similarly, Jeremiah 2 extends this metaphor, lamenting "Yet I planted you as an elect vineyard, with only true seed. Then how have you been turned away from me, toward that which is depraved, O strange vineyard?" These passages not only serve as religious allegories but also potentially document early observations of genetic drift in grapevine cultivation. Such deterioration may have manifested particularly in female raisin and table grape cultivars exposed to cross-pollination from nearby wild grapevine populations, resulting in offspring with undesirable characteristics.

 

3

Regarding the status of the wild vine, I would agree with the statement of Stinca 2019 Anali di botanica: "However, most of these literature data should be verified because, since they have been collected before the revision of Vitis in Italy by Ardenghi et al. (2014), may refer to alien taxa.

Yes we agree with you. Our study results go in the same direction. We included the mention of Campanian wild grapevines of American origin and added the reference to Stinca.

4

Moreover, all the recent reports are clearly referred to cultivated plants and subsequently spontaneous (i.e. V. vinifera s.s.), although it is believed that cultivars have a low chance to survive in the wild (Grassi et al., 2003))",

To be coherent we needed to comment on Grassi et al. 2003:

Our findings suggest an alternative interpretation to the proposed secondary center of grapevine domestication in Sardinia by Grassi et al. in 2003 [84]. While the genetic proximity between wild grapevine specimens from Nuoro and local Sardinian cultivars (Bovale Murru and Bovale Muristellu) has been interpreted as evidence of local domestication, our data supports an alternative hypothesis. The presence of exclusively domesticated-type seeds in our Nuoro wild grapevine samples suggests these populations may represent naturalized or feral vines rather than truly wild specimens, thus challenging the local domestication theory (Figure 10).

 

5

as well as with the statement of Walker et al. cit. Wen et al., 2018: « Most genera of Vitaceae need to be taxonomically revised.

Yes we agree with you!

6

In the attached pdf there are some additional comments.

Wish you all the very best.

Kind regards

Reviewer

Many thanks for your queries, corrections and suggestive citations!

7

All questions raised in the pdf were addressed in the manuscript, where changes are marked using red characters. Responses were added in the pdf to the different queries.

peer-review-42804390.v1.pdf

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article analyses how seed-morphology based indices of domestication and wildness can be used to estimate grapevine diversity on the gradient from purely wild to fully domesticated populations along the widest range of the species distribution. The approach is based on the relevant literature sources and authors’ own experience.

For more detailed comments see the attached pdf.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Responses to reviewer’s 3 comments

 

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

1

The article analyses how seed-morphology based indices of domestication and wildness can be used to estimate grapevine diversity on the gradient from purely wild to fully domesticated populations along the widest range of the species distribution.

Yes, it is. Many thanks!

The approach is based on the relevant literature sources and authors’ own experience.

2

For more detailed comments see the attached pdf.

peer-review-43095853.v1.pdf

All questions raised in the pdf were addressed in the manuscript, where changes are marked using red characters. Responses were added in the pdf to the different queries.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf