Evaluation of the Effects of Water and Salinity Stress on the Growth and Biochemistry of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) at the Branching Stage

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

All comments and suggestions are made on text of the manuscript. More clarity is needed regarding work on salinity and its relevance in terms of salt equilibrium in soil, factors influence the salinity, and level of salinity is required for impact on physiological and biological parameters of the plants. In future, we should take saline soils for such study or we should give time for maintain the equilibrium of salts after adding in soil and then go for seeding. 

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Author Response

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Reviewer 2 Report

The title of the paper is appropriate and relevantly indicates the work undertaken. The objectives of investigation are precise and very comprehensive. All chosen methods are appropriate to the topic of the research. English very correct.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

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Reviewer 3 Report

Dear authors,

this is a well structured study on the effect of water deficiency and slainity on the growth of alfalfa. This manuscript study an important issue for agriculture that is the response of alfalfa to water and salinity stress that differs during the whole growth period.

The comments are provided below:

Abstract:  the abstract is informative and well presented, but you need to enrcich the final conclusion (lines 29-31) to make it more obvious to the readers.

Introduction: The introduction is quite informative, including many related references. I propose you to transfer the lines 122-125 in the last paragraph of introduction and include it in the aim of the experiment.

Material and Methods: Material and methods are well presented in a well structured way and as detailed they should be.

Results: It is suggested to present also an over year analysis in the tables. I think this would make the result more strong and support more your findings.

In table 1,you should add the comparisons of means like you did in table 2.

In the correlation, (lines 385-390) you should delete lines 385-390, since only significant correlation is giving information and mainly absolute values higher than 0.6-0.65 have a true meaning.

Also, since the interaction is significant in most measurements-characteristics, it is importat for you to include the interaction graphs.

Discussion: The discussion is good, please make a final check

Conclusions: Conclusions are very descriptive. However, it is necessary to show better the work that was made to add a general final conclusion, e.g which is the final conlusion of your research.

 

Sincerely,

 

Author Response

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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

All suggestions/comments have been addressed as per suggestions.