Preharvest Multiple Applications of GABA Improve Quality Traits and Antioxidant Compounds of Pomegranate Fruit during Storage

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript about the effect GABA treatments of pomegranate trees on fruit quality during storage is clear, simple work with practical application. However, the experiment design and determinations look sound, and the manuscript is average written. Some issues that I point out are below.

• I have a question about the maturity stage of the fruits at the time of harvest. Based on firmness values treated fruits were firmer than the control. This is a result of the application or was a delay in ripening proves on the tree? Please discussed it.
• The abstract should be re-written since in the results section the authors should indicate the differences between treatments in percentage to be clearer for the readers.
• Please replace chroma a value with value hue.
• About the development of better colour of the treated fruit and the increased acceptance by the consumers. Do you have any data on a visual quality trial? It will be helpful to correlate the colour data with consumers’ preferences.

Author Response

Please, see responses in the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The well-written manuscript by Spanish authors from a re-known research facility reports on the successful use of GABA on pomegranate trees/fruits to promote fruit firmness, acid synthesis and anthocyanins and reduce weight loss in cold storage without significantly reducing sugar levels. The idea is not new- GABA has been successfully employed on pomegranate before (making the manuscript confirmative) and in a few similar cases as well as  to combat early leaf drop infections by Marssonia in apple. The topic of the manuscript fits the scope of MDPI horticulture and is suitable for publication after a) including two more relevant citations, b) a photo and c) minor revision of

1) Lines 30-31 for consumer perception, add Bentkamp et al, PHT (doi  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2017.10.008) for optical appearance

2) Lines 35, authors may want to add a photo of the Spanish Mollar variety or even better, one of the two Mollar and Wonderful to attract a wider audience /readership and visualize that “Mollar” pomegranate fruit suffer from lack of red colouration (anthocyanin and anti-oxidant content)

3) Lines add Liu, 2022, Scientia  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2022.111005 on Marssonia as another successful GABA application, also  its apparently safe use to our present knowledge, but requires legal approvement

4) Similarly, add a sentence saying that in all cases apple, mango and pomegranate, where GABA is used at the ripening stage shortly before harvest, authority approval is required (with residue and ecotox) amd product formulation for its use in either IP and/or organic growing.

5) please add the organoleptic results – line 171) from a tasting panel to see whether the higher acidity adversely affected the taste of the treated pomegranate fruit

There is NO need for me to see the revised version

Author Response

Please, see responses in the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Dear author,

Many thanks for your good work. My comments are in the attached file.

Regards

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please, see responses in the atached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx