Biochemical and Yield Component of Hybrid Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Resulting from Full Diallel Crosses

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript reports about the Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele.

Authors should moderately revise the text.

Main notes:

1.      N-containing bioactive compound capsaicin is a diagnostic feature of Capsicum annuum (its functional compound). Why did the authors not mention this in the introduction to the article?

2.      Why didn't the authors analyze the content of capsaicin in the studied plant material?

3.      I propose change the list of Keywords: adding, for example, that the biological activity was studied under in vitro conditions.

4.      The number of self-citations should be reduced: for example, in the list of sources there are 7 references to the first author of the manuscript Syukur М.(this is 13.2% of self-citations!)

5.      The moderate check is required for the English language and style by professionals or editing companies. For instance, this sentence could be improved 'Abstract.  Chili (Capsicum annuum), economically important, is one of the world’s most popular horticultural plants.'

 The moderate check is required for the English language and style by professionals or editing companies. 

Author Response

Manuscript ID: horticulturae-2402747

Response to Reviewers

Dear Dr. Robin Huang,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to submit a revised draft of the manuscript “Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele Crosses” for publication in the Horticulturae Journal (MDPI). We appreciate the time and effort that you and the reviewers dedicated to providing feedback on our manuscript and are grateful for the insightful comments on and valuable improvements to our paper. We have incorporated most of the suggestions made by the reviewers. Those changes are highlighted within the manuscript.

Reviewer #1 Comments to the Author:

1. Reviewer Comment:

N-containing bioactive compound Capsaicin is a diagnostic feature of Capsicum annuum (Its functional compound). Why did the authors not mention this in the introduction to the article?

Author Response:

Thank you for your advice. As suggested by the reviewer, we have mentioned capsaicin as a major compound that controlled spiciness in the introduction to the article. Also, we discussed capsaicin in the discussion section.

2. Reviewer Comment:

Why didn't the authors analyze the content of Capsaicin in the studied plant material?

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. Capsaicin analysis was carried out separately after obtaining candidate varieties with high secondary metabolites (TPC, TFC, Antioxidants, AGI). This is due to limited research funds that can be carried out in one cycle.

3. Reviewer Comment:

I propose change the list of Keywords: adding, for example, that the biological activity was studied under in vitro conditions.

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added the in vitro condition in the list of keywords.

4. Reviewer Comment:

The number of self-citations should be reduced: for example, in the list of sources there are 7 references to the first author of the manuscript Syukur М. (this is 13.2% of self-citations!)

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have now reduced the number of self-citations and replaced them with another relevant reference.

5. Reviewer Comment:

The moderate check is required for the English language and style by professionals or editing companies.

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We will send our article to an editing company after the reviewer section is complete (in copyediting section).

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear authors,
The prepared manuscript number Horticulturae-2402747"Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele Crosses )". This study inspects extraction and content of phenolic compounds and their antioxidant activities plus the effect and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of the (Capsicum annuum L.)  ​I have some remarks before they can be published:

1)      The title of manuscript must be changed. to avoid title similarities between this article and another you have already published.

https://www.scielo.br/j/cr/a/4CRcRM8q3TrRXr4zjhXKqNR/?format=pdf&lang=en

2)      Total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of several big chili (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes.

10.1590/0103-8478cr20210913

3)      The abstract is well structured and well edited.

4)      The introduction is also perfect, if it is possible to give an explanation of the role of the compound α-glucosidase.

5)      “Carbohydrates are normally converted into simple sugars (monosaccharides) by alpha-glucosidase enzymes present on the cells lining the gut”

6)      In part 2.2.1. Field procedure, please give us the GPS coordinates of the working greenhouse.

7)      Part 2.3. Biochemical Experimental is perfect, is it possible to add in part 2.3.4. Antioxidant activity DPPH and FRAP methods (DPPH and FRAP), an analysis of antioxidant activity by 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic) acid (ABTS) and compare with other DPPH and FRAP.

8)      I would have liked that in part 2. Materials and Methods, to add images of the Chili sample (Capsicum annuum L.).

9)      In the discussion part is it possible to compare the phenolic compounds of Chili sample (Capsicum annuum L.) of several genotypes and another Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in normal cinditins in Indonesia.

10)   The discussion part is perfect on the interpretation of the results side.

11)   The ending part is good.

12)   Also I would have liked if it is possible to make an analysis or a physico-chemical characterization of the different samples, the pH, the ashes, the humidity, the Brix degree, the organic matter, the heavy metals, the conductivity,.. ..

Best regards

Comments for author File: Comments.docx

The quality of English is good

Author Response

Manuscript ID: horticulturae-2402747

Response to Reviewers

Dear Dr. Robin Huang,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to submit a revised draft of the manuscript “Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele Crosses” for publication in the Horticulturae Journal (MDPI). We appreciate the time and effort that you and the reviewers dedicated to providing feedback on our manuscript and are grateful for the insightful comments on and valuable improvements to our paper. We have incorporated most of the suggestions made by the reviewers. Those changes are highlighted within the manuscript.

Reviewer #2 Comments to the Author:

1. Reviewer Comment:

The title of manuscript must be changed. to avoid title similarities between this article and another you have already published

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have now improved the title of the manuscript so that it is non-similar to another article that has already been published.

2. Reviewer Comment:

In part 2.2.1. Field procedure, please give us the GPS coordinates of the working greenhouse.

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added the GPS coordinates of the greenhouse to the method

3. Reviewer Comment:

Part 2.3. Biochemical Experimental is perfect, is it possible to add in part 2.3.4. Antioxidant activity DPPH and FRAP methods (DPPH and FRAP), an analysis of antioxidant activity by ABTS and compare with other DPPH and FRAP.

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. It is not possible to add the ABTS method to this article. ABTS method mechanism is exact with the DPPH method. So, we only use FRAP and DPPH method because their method is different.

4. Reviewer Comment:

I would have liked that in part 2. Materials and Methods, to add images of the Chili sample (Capsicum annuum L.).

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added the images of the chili sample

5. Reviewer Comment:

In the discussion part is it possible to compare the phenolic compounds of Chili sample (Capsicum annuum L.) of several genotypes and another Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) grown in normal conditions in Indonesia.

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. Yes, it is possible. We have compared the phenolic compounds of our chili sample with another chili grown in normal conditions in Indonesia.

6. Reviewer Comment:

Also I would have liked if it is possible to make an analysis or a physico-chemical characterization of the different samples, the pH, the ashes, the humidity, the Brix degree, the organic matter,the heavy metals, the conductivity

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. Sorry, we suggest that the physico-chemical characterization of different samples is not possible to do in this article.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The work reports the Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC), Antioxidant activity and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele Crosses. Specifically, Folin-Ciocalteu and AlCl₃-colorimetric assays were respectively used for TPC and TFC analyses, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazy (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) techniques for the antioxidant activity and the bioassay of α-glucosidase inhibitory he antidiabetic activity.

The work is interesting in the view of develop chili hybrid varieties as functional foods. The language is fine, only minor spelling can be found e.g. line 33 “antioxidant” It is intuitive that antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of the chili extract might be correlated to their polyphenolic content. What is missing is the individual determination (at least qualitative) of the polyphenolic content of the samples. I invite the authors to enrich the paper providing new data by LC-MS.

Abstract. It should contain the main findings of the work. Lines 34-35. The authors need to rephrase specifying the different yield components. Also, what do you mean by “useful biochemicals”?

2.3.1. Sample preparation. Did the authors refer to a validated protocol?

Conclusions: “The hybrid means for AGI and DPPH higher than parent”. Unclear, rephrase!

Moderate revision

Author Response

Manuscript ID: horticulturae-2402747

Response to Reviewers

Dear Dr. Robin Huang,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to submit a revised draft of the manuscript “Total Phenolic, Flavonoid Contents, Antioxidant, and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activities, and Yield Components in Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Hybrid Resulting from Full Diallele Crosses” for publication in the Horticulturae Journal (MDPI). We appreciate the time and effort that you and the reviewers dedicated to providing feedback on our manuscript and are grateful for the insightful comments on and valuable improvements to our paper. We have incorporated most of the suggestions made by the reviewers. Those changes are highlighted within the manuscript.

Reviewer #3 Comments to the Author:

1. Reviewer Comment:

The language is fine, only minor spelling can be found e.g. line 33 “antioxidant” It is intuitive that antidiabetic and antioxidant properties of the chili extract might be correlated to their polyphenolic content. What is missing is the individual determination (at least qualitative) of the polyphenolic content of the samples. I invite the authors to enrich the paper providing new data by LC-MS

Author Response:

Thanks for your advice. It is not possible to enrich with new data by LC-MS to this paper. It caused that our study aimed to conduct quantitative biochemical research to inform the readers about biochemical contents in hybrids and parents. Correlation analysis also we have added in this paper (Figure 2).

2. Reviewer Comment:

Abstract. It should contain the main findings of the work. Lines 34-35. The authors need to rephrase specifying the different yield components. Also, what do you mean by “useful biochemicals”?

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have rephrased words (lines 34-35) to clarify. Useful biochemicals mean polyphenol content, antioxidants, and glucosidase inhibitory.

3. Reviewer Comment:

2.3.1. Sample preparation. Did the authors refer to a validated protocol?

Author Response:

Yes, sample preparation refers to the validated protocol from our previous research. We added the citations for our sample preparation.

4. Reviewer Comment:

Conclusions: “The hybrid means for AGI and DPPH higher than parent”. Unclear, rephrase!

Author Response:

Thank you for your suggestion. We have now rephrased and made it clear.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Despite the LC-MS data were not provided, I appreciate the authors’ response to the other issues.