Rhizosheath: Roles, Formation Processes and Investigation Methods

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The review on rhizosheath is well-written and comprehensive, providing a good overview of the current state of knowledge on this important root trait. However, there are a few points to be considered by the authors :

• The review is somewhat narrow in scope, focusing primarily on the role of rhizosheath in crop plants. While this is certainly an important area of research, it would have been helpful to also discuss the role of rhizosheath in wild plants and ecosystems. For example, rhizosheath plays a critical role in soil aggregation and nutrient cycling, and it is also important for plant-microbe interactions.
• The review does not adequately discuss the limitations of the current research on rhizosheath. For example, many of the studies cited in the review were conducted in controlled laboratory settings, and it is not always clear how the findings of these studies translate to real-world conditions. Additionally, there is still much that we do not know about the specific mechanisms by which rhizosheath enhances plant tolerance to abiotic stresses.
• The  review does not discuss these contradictory findings in much detail, nor does it offer any explanations for why they might have occurred.

Minor errors.

Author Response

We are grateful the three reviewers for the useful comments and advices about the manuscript, which substantially helped to improve the work. We have taken into account all the suggestions and thoroughly revised the manuscript accordingly, wherever possible.

 Reviewer #1

 The review on rhizosheath is well-written and comprehensive, providing a good overview of the current state of knowledge on this important root trait.

We thank the reviewer for the positive judgment about our work.

However, there are a few points to be considered by the authors :

The review is somewhat narrow in scope, focusing primarily on the role of rhizosheath in crop plants. While this is certainly an important area of research, it would have been helpful to also discuss the role of rhizosheath in wild plants and ecosystems. For example, rhizosheath plays a critical role in soil aggregation and nutrient cycling, and it is also important for plant-microbe interactions.

We thank the reviewer for raising this point. We did not delve into the role of rhizosheath in wild plants, because the aim of the review was to provide a guideline for future study on crop plants in agronomy science, being the rhizosheath considered a trait of great agronomic importance as a potential feature enhancing the crop production sustainability. However, we added a sentence, in the introductive section (2. Rhizosheath, L. 91), better clarifying the importance of numerous studies in wild species allowing to highlight the crucial role of rhizosheath in the ecosystem.

The review does not adequately discuss the limitations of the current research on rhizosheath. For example, many of the studies cited in the review were conducted in controlled laboratory settings, and it is not always clear how the findings of these studies translate to real-world conditions.

We thank the reviewer for the suggestion. We added a sentence, in the sections 1. Introduction (L. 53) and 6. Conclusions and Perspectives (L. 413), as important point to develop in future studies.

Additionally, there is still much that we do not know about the specific mechanisms The review does not discuss these contradictory findings in much detail, nor does it offer any explanations for why they might have occurred.

We thank the reviewer for this comment. Specific mechanisms improving plant tolerance to abiotic stresses in relation to the rhizosheath feature were covered in the section 3.3 (Genetics), 4 (Benefits and Ecological Functions of Rhizosheath), 5.3 (Genetic Studies), and 5.4 (Microbial Investigations). However, we added a sentence, in the conclusive section (6. Conclusions and Perspectives, L. 413), about the necessity to clarify contradictory results reported in literature on which may develop future studies.

Minor editing of English language required.

We thank the reviewer for spotting the errors. We strove to revise the English to the best of our possibilities.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript is a typical review work based on previously published works on rhizosheath. The functions of rhizosheaths, associated with e.g. protecting plants against drought or facilitating the acquisition of water and nutrients by plants, are of great importance for plant growth in conditions of environmental stress, and also help plants function better in conditions of water and nutrient deficiency. The work discusses, among others, issues related to the terminology, methodology, and the function of rhizosheaths. The presented work summarizes the current knowledge of rhizosheath.
It would be good to supplement chapter 3 (Factors Involved in Rhizosheath Formation) with a description of additional factors (physical, chemical) that determine rhizosheath formation and development.
Rhizosheath soils are different from other soils (based on physical, chemical and microbiological features).    The basic differences between them could be included in a figure or presented in a table.
A new publication on rhizosheath has recently been published. It would be good to include it, especially since it raises, among other things, the differences between rhizosheath and other soils (Xiaohan Mo, Mengke Wang, Hui Zeng, Junjian Wang, Rhizosheath: Distinct features and environmental functions, Geoderma, Volume 435, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116500).

Author Response

We are grateful the three reviewers for the useful comments and advices about the manuscript, which substantially helped to improve the work. We have taken into account all the suggestions and thoroughly revised the manuscript accordingly, wherever possible.

Reviewer #2

The manuscript is a typical review work based on previously published works on rhizosheath. The functions of rhizosheath, associated with e.g., protecting plants against drought or facilitating the acquisition of water and nutrients by plants, are of great importance for plant growth in conditions of environmental stress, and also help plants function better in conditions of water and nutrient deficiency. The work discusses, among others, issues related to the terminology, methodology, and the function of rhizosheath. The presented work summarizes the current knowledge of rhizosheath.

We thank the reviewer for the pertinent comments about our work.

It would be good to supplement chapter 3 (Factors Involved in Rhizosheath Formation) with a description of additional factors (physical, chemical) that determine rhizosheath formation and development.

We thank the reviewer for asking this clarification. We did not create a sub-chapter about the chemico-physical drivers influencing rhizosheath formation, because they are widely included in the other sub-chapter, because closely related to the factors reported and described in the section 3. Therefore, we believe that another specific sub-chapter can be redundant.

Rhizosheath soils are different from other soils (based on physical, chemical and microbiological features).    The basic differences between them could be included in a figure or presented in a table. A new publication on rhizosheath has recently been published. It would be good to include it, especially since it raises, among other things, the differences between rhizosheath and other soils (Xiaohan Mo, Mengke Wang, Hui Zeng, Junjian Wang, Rhizosheath: Distinct features and environmental functions, Geoderma, Volume 435, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116500).

We thank the reviewer for the suggestion and are grateful for the references provided. We provided a paragraph about this issue in the section 4 (Benefits and Ecological Functions of Rhizosheath, L. 225). 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The presented review aimed to show the literature about rhizosheath with special emphasis on the various processes involved in rhizoheath formation, its evolutionary and ecological role and the most used methodologies for its investigation. Moreover, the authors wanted to point out the existing gaps in the topic to outline future research.

Overall, I find this paper quite interesting, especially for agronomy science. It has a relevant structure, it usually summarizes the most recent and major knowledge about rhizoheath. Personally, I was curious about the element, which in my opinion, should be of the greatest importance of this paper. Namely, I wondered about pointing out the "existing knowledge gaps" in rhizoheath. Unfortunately, the Authors managed to point out it quite briefly but correctly. I would recommend developing some ideas in the last section. It would enrich the study and give it a "novelty bullet".

To conclude - I found some minor merit elements which should be corrected or explained. The greatest concerns should be put in the last paragraph of the conclusion section. Moreover, some of the editing flaws, like double spaces or too-long sentences which should be split into two or more, were found while reading the text.

Detailed comments:

21-24; 39-43; 53-58 - hard to read, consider to spilt the sentences.

39-43 - no references...it should be added some examples.

52-53- please point out clearly (even briefly) the limitations which you mentioned in the phrase "knowledge about factors involved in its genesis and its ecological functions is still limited.." I think it is crucial to understand the purposes of the review.

106 - this thought seems to be not finished. Consider adding some relevant details before you go to the subchapter.

Subchapters 3.1-3.3 are well prepared.

213-215 - any reference here?

341-351 - some references in this paragraph should be added after relevant sentences. Now they are summarized at the end of the paragraph. Reconsider making some changes to increase the readability.

409-416 - try to develop some ideas about future research. This is the most important element of your study. It is clear but too short. Why these mentioned elements are so important?

Author Response

We are grateful the three reviewers for the useful comments and advices about the manuscript, which substantially helped to improve the work. We have taken into account all the suggestions and thoroughly revised the manuscript accordingly, wherever possible.

Reviewer #3

 The presented review aimed to show the literature about rhizosheath with special emphasis on the various processes involved in rhizoheath formation, its evolutionary and ecological role and the most used methodologies for its investigation. Moreover, the authors wanted to point out the existing gaps in the topic to outline future research. Overall, I find this paper quite interesting, especially for agronomy science. It has a relevant structure, it usually summarizes the most recent and major knowledge about rhizoheath.

We thank the reviewer for the pertinent comments and positive judgment about our work.

Personally, I was curious about the element, which in my opinion, should be of the greatest importance of this paper. Namely, I wondered about pointing out the "existing knowledge gaps" in rhizoheath. Unfortunately, the Authors managed to point out it quite briefly but correctly. I would recommend developing some ideas in the last section. It would enrich the study and give it a "novelty bullet". To conclude - I found some minor merit elements which should be corrected or explained. The greatest concerns should be put in the last paragraph of the conclusion section.

We thank the reviewer for the suggestion. We extended the conclusive section (6. Conclusions and Perspectives, L. 416), delving into the several points that should address the research future efforts in this field.

Moreover, some of the editing flaws, like double spaces or too-long sentences which should be split into two or more, were found while reading the text.

We thank the reviewer for the comment. We strove to revise the manuscript to the best of our possibilities, improving its readability.

Detailed comments:

21-24; 39-43; 53-58 - hard to read, consider to spilt the sentences.

We are grateful to the reviewer for the observation. We reformulated the sentences as required.

39-43 - no references...it should be added some examples.

We are grateful to the reviewer for the observation. We added the missing references.

52-53- please point out clearly (even briefly) the limitations which you mentioned in the phrase "knowledge about factors involved in its genesis and its ecological functions is still limited.." I think it is crucial to understand the purposes of the review.

We thank the reviewer for raising this point. We added the missing information.

106 - this thought seems to be not finished. Consider adding some relevant details before you go to the subchapter.

Subchapters 3.1-3.3 are well prepared.

We thank the reviewer for the observation. We extended this paragraph.

213-215 - any reference here?

We are grateful to the reviewer for the observation. We added the missing information.

341-351 - some references in this paragraph should be added after relevant sentences. Now they are summarized at the end of the paragraph. Reconsider making some changes to increase the readability.

We are grateful to the reviewer for the suggestion. We re-distributed the several references after the relative cited sentences.

409-416 - try to develop some ideas about future research. This is the most important element of your study. It is clear but too short. Why these mentioned elements are so important?

We thank the reviewer for the suggestion. We extended the conclusive section (6. Conclusions and Perspectives, L. 416), delving into the several points that should address the research future efforts in this field.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx