PONE-D-21-34224Effect of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea l.) under salt stressPLOS ONE

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Manzer H. Siddiqui.

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Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: Zafar et al, explored the usability of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth and physiochemical attributes of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under salt stress. The topic is within the scope of PLOS ONE. The paper is rather well presented and can be accepted for publication after a minor revision.

Title:

Please change “Effect of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea l.) under salt stress” to “Effect of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth and physiochemical indices of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under salt stress”

Abstract:

Summarize the key findings. Give some concise and key information preferably with numeric values.

Introduction:

Give full form of NaCl as this was used first time in the introduction.

Provide some detail about seed priming mediated changes (changes during imbibition or active metabolism). Either these changes may have any influence on stress regulation?

Please give full form of Zn (where it was first used in introduction)

Authors used nanotechnology in this study so they must give a comprehensive and most recent literature about nanotechnology and potential applications in crop plants especially spinach.

Aim of the study is not clear.

Materials and Methods

A pot experiment (Table 1) was carried out in the experimental area of Government College

University Faisalabad, Pakistan: Give coordinates

How authors performed plant sampling for analysis (either random plants were selected or any other way for selecting the plants)

Insert space between digit and symbol (4 °C) Check throughout the manuscript

Give model, city and country for spectrophotometer used in this study

10ml spacing issue (10 mL) (Please check throughout the manuscript)

520nm to 500 nm

100ul to 100 ul (Please check throughout the manuscript

‘Statistix’ give version of software along with reference or link for reproducibility

Results and Discussion

Please give detailed results about different variables (significant and non-significant)

Either there was any variance observed among seed priming and foliar applications

Authors must give the explanation of each sub-figure (a, b, c…?) in the figure legend

Give some recent and comprehensive literature in discussion and support the obtained results. Do not give simple biological inference.

Conclusion:

Authors must give some key findings of the study along with future prospects

References:

Check the journal format and edit the references accordingly.

Reviewer #2: Manuscript by Zafar et al. titled “Effect of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth of spinach (Spinacia oleracea l.) under salt stress” obersved some interesting results which may be considered for publication in PLOS ONE. However, I have some suggestions which could further improve the ms.

Comments

Abstract should be precise confusing sentences should be avoided.

Keywords: there should be at least 5 and should not repeat the words of the title.

Objectives are not well explicit, please revise them.

The writing should be improved. it is better to be written by a native language if it would be possible. Discussion is weak. In most cases, authors have only referred to the findings obtained by other workers without a personal scientific and deducible interpretation.

References are not according to format.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: Comments and Suggestions (PLOS ONE) 2021-11-04.docx

Effect of zinc nanoparticles seed priming and foliar application on the growth and physio-biochemical indices of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) under salt stress

PONE-D-21-34224R1

Dear Dr. Siddiqui,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Adnan Noor Shah, PhD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. If the authors have adequately addressed your comments raised in a previous round of review and you feel that this manuscript is now acceptable for publication, you may indicate that here to bypass the “Comments to the Author” section, enter your conflict of interest statement in the “Confidential to Editor” section, and submit your "Accept" recommendation.

Reviewer #1: All comments have been addressed

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

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2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

The manuscript must describe a technically sound piece of scientific research with data that supports the conclusions. Experiments must have been conducted rigorously, with appropriate controls, replication, and sample sizes. The conclusions must be drawn appropriately based on the data presented.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available?

The PLOS Data policy requires authors to make all data underlying the findings described in their manuscript fully available without restriction, with rare exception (please refer to the Data Availability Statement in the manuscript PDF file). The data should be provided as part of the manuscript or its supporting information, or deposited to a public repository. For example, in addition to summary statistics, the data points behind means, medians and variance measures should be available. If there are restrictions on publicly sharing data—e.g. participant privacy or use of data from a third party—those must be specified.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English?

PLOS ONE does not copyedit accepted manuscripts, so the language in submitted articles must be clear, correct, and unambiguous. Any typographical or grammatical errors should be corrected at revision, so please note any specific errors here.

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

6. Review Comments to the Author

Please use the space provided to explain your answers to the questions above. You may also include additional comments for the author, including concerns about dual publication, research ethics, or publication ethics. (Please upload your review as an attachment if it exceeds 20,000 characters)

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Dear Editor,

I have again gone through the The ms is now improved. It can be accepted for publication. Please do the needful.

With kind regards,

Vijay

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7. PLOS authors have the option to publish the peer review history of their article (what does this mean?). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy.

Reviewer #1: Yes: Rubab Shabbir

Reviewer #2: No