Seed Silhouettes as Geometric Objects: New Applications of Elliptic Fourier Transform to Seed Morphology

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Editor

The manuscript entitled “Seed silhouettes as geometric objects: New applications of Elliptic Fourier Transform to seed morphology,” submitted for publication in Horticulturae, is a literature review on adopting geometric shapes to describe the shape of seeds. For this, the Fourier equations reproduce the seed silhouettes for any closed plane curve (elliptic) corresponding to the contour of the image of a seed. The authors performed a well-founded review and related seed shape to embryogenesis, fruit development, and environmental adaptations. Moreover, they reaffirm the importance of geometric forms applied to seeds for taxonomic purposes.

The authors present information on the fit of geometric shapes in three species of Silene, applying the Fourier analysis to the average silhouettes of representative seeds. However, in some cases (dorsal views), the seeds have a conserved shape that does not fit these models.

The main criticism points are:

-The manuscript is generally well-written, but the introduction is relatively short. For example, it needs to add one or two paragraphs highlighting the importance of the silent species and the mathematical models used in geometric adjustment.

- Suggestion: Remove from the introduction and include in a literature review. For example, in an article published in the journal Human Evolution, 45 Professor Dwight Read stated [5]:

- The review section is well grounded.

- Line 158 - https://zenodo.org/record/7122729#.YzUyhUxBxD8)

Is the hyperlink in the middle of the text appropriate?

-Line 358 - why the more adjusted data were not presented?

In S. dioica Pol., the Fourier analysis achieved good models with only 4 356 harmonics for the dorsal and lateral views (Figure 11); however, the 357 adjustments notably improved for the lateral view up to 12, and even 20 harmonics (data not shown).

Table 1 – Line 405 -  Statistical analysis was done as described [18,29]. Describe the statistical analysis in the text.

The manuscript may be accepted after minor revisions.

Sincerely,

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 1,

Thank you very much for your commentaries that have contributed to improve notably the quality of the article.

Following your advice, several sentences have been added to the introduction highlighting the importance of the Silene species and the mathematical models used in geometric adjustment. Accordingly, the reference numbering has been corrected.

A new section entitled “A historical anecdote” (Sect. 1.1.) has been included at the end of the introduction and the sentences relative to it have been now included in this new section.

The hyperlink (https://zenodo.org/record/7122729#.YzUyhUxBxD8), that was in the middle of the text, has been now moved to the section Supplementary materials at the end of the article.

The expression (data not shown) in reference to Figure 11 in the following sentence:

...however, for the lateral view, the adjustment notably improved up to 12, and even 20 harmonics (data not shown).

Refeers to 20 harmonics. In fact the image is shown for 12 harmonics and demonstrates quite a high similarity to the original figure, thus making not neccesary to show the image obtained with 20 harmonics. The sentence has been changed to:

“...however, for the lateral view, the adjustment notably improved up to 12 harmonics.”

The statistical analysis done has been now described in the text.

Hoping that these corrections and additions will satisfy your requirements.

Yours sincerely,

Emilio Cervantes

Corresponding author

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript reviewed the geometric properties of the silhouettes from seed images and discuss them in the context of seed development, plant taxonomy and environmental adaptation. Quantification of seed shape is required for the phenotypical characterization in genetics as well as for the application of seed morphology in taxonomy. The manuscript is helpful for reader to understand the meaning of quantification of seed shape by Fourier Transform analysis.

Some minor comments:

Are there any shortcomings of Fourier transform analysis in seed shape quantification? And the development of this technology in the future.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer 2,

Thank you very much for your commentaries that have contributed to improve the quality of the article.

As it is stated in sect. 3.2. (first paragraph), Fourier equations are useful in the representation of closed plane curves, such as those representing seed images. But, nevertheless, seeds are tri-dimensional figures, and they should optimally be represented by tri-dimensional objects. Thus, Fourier transform is a step to obtain an accurate representation of seeds, but not the final step in the process. This has been now indicated at the end of the Conclusions sections in the following sentence:

"But, nevertheless, seeds are tri-dimensional figures, and Fourier transform is a step to obtain an accurate representation of seeds, but not the final step in the process."

We hope that this addition will meet your requirements.

Yours sincerely,

Emilio Cervantes

Corresponding author