Biodegradability of Innovative Bio-Based Films Enriched with Monoammonium Phosphate

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear Authors,

This paper deals with Biodegradability of innovative bio-based films enriched with monoammonium phosphate.

Do the authors check the Scope of this journal before submission? I beleive the paper is out of scope of Horticulture. I suggest translating to Polymers , Materials  or Coatings. Other journals that have a strong chemical background focus on film degradation.

I would like to provide some feedback on the manuscript.

The authors propose using the material as mulch without testing its water solubility. Remember that mulch films must withstand  the harsh weather conditions during a whole crop season, including rainfalls,  wins,  sun, etc. If films are hydrophilic (not cross-linked), this could not be achieved. 

Plants may develop a high saline spot around them if the polymer breaks down rapidly and contains phosphate salts. This fact is a potential risk for plant phytotoxicity, and no test regarding this matter was presented.

In light of the composition of films, it is not clear if you performed a biodegradability or disintegration test. The latter is always accompanied by a phytotoxicity test (Zucconi test or Munolissa test). 

There is a lack of a positive control (biodegradable one) used as a mulch to perform the biodegradation test.

Author Response

We thank the reviewer 1 for comments. All comments have been carefully addressed, and the manuscript has been revised accordingly. A detailed, point-by-point response describing all changes is provided in the attached document.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Dear author

Please find attached my overall recomandation and major revisions.

Best regards

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

We thank Reviewer 2 for the thorough and constructive review. All comments have been carefully addressed, and the manuscript has been revised accordingly. A detailed, point-by-point response describing all changes is provided in the attached document.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

All requested revisions have been done or answered point-by-point.Thus, accept in current form!

Best regards

Author Response

Thank you very much for your positive feedback and for the time you devoted to reviewing our manuscript. We appreciate your recommendation to accept the paper in its current form.