PONE-D-23-29799Exploiting DNA methylation in cassava under water deficit for crop improvementPLOS ONE

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Dear authors,

please reply to reviewer's comments in order to answer their comments.

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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

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

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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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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: No

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5. Review Comments to the Author

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Reviewer #1: The paper entitled "Exploiting DNA methylation in cassava under water deficit for crop improvement" aim to provide information regarding genome regions of cassave that are hypo or hypermethylated under water deficit and the implication of changes in DNA methylation status in drought tolerace.

The paper is interesting however some issues need to be clarified, especially in the materials and methods section.

1. Apart form the photos of the plants after the completion of drought stress (with claer differences in morphology) and the Transpirable Soil Water (FTSW) calculation, no other morphological or physiological measurements are described.

Can you provide some more data regarding the differences in morphology and physiology og the 2 genotypes after drought stress?

Materials and methods section needs to be divided into sections, first describing more clearly the experimental design and the duration of the drought stress and then focusing on the molecular studies.

2. Conclusion section needs to be rewritten in some parts and need to give more realistic outcomes.

3. please see the attachment and provide answers accordingly.

Reviewer #2: The study is particularly important and original. The methodology followed is detailed, with many analyzes and interpretations of the results. I want just a few clarifications on the methodology. What were the prevailing conditions in the greenhouse, in which the experiment was carried out? Why were only 5 plants per variety selected? Why are only the parents of the variety BRS Formosa listed and not both varieties.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-23-29799-ET.pdf

Exploiting DNA methylation in cassava under water deficit for crop improvement

PONE-D-23-29799R1

Dear Dr. de Oliveira,

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.

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Kind regards,

Evangelia V. Avramidou, PhD

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear authors,

all comments have been adressed, and the manuscript was significantly improved and it is ready for publication.

Reviewers' comments: