Selenium and Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Improves Potato Root Function, Photosynthesis, Yield and Selenium Enrichment

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The research was well developed and elaborated, it was able to express that an adequate fertilization of N combined with the application of Se increases the productive components and acquisition of Se by the roots of the potato.

Abstract: The abstract addresses all the importance of the research.

Line 9: Delete abstract:

Introduction: Succinct introduction and precisely elucidates the subject of the study.

Lines 52-57: In the nitrogen paragraph, put a sentence talking about the importance of this nutrient for increasing the photosynthetic rate and how this contributes to increasing yield.

Material and methods: The material and methods are well explained and provide readers with how the research was developed.

Line 74: 24 sample plots or 27 sample plots? (3*3*3 = 27 plots). Subplot contained 4.0 m x 6.0 m or the complete plot contained this measure. If it is the plot size, then the authors have 9 plots of 4.0 m x 6.0 m with subplots of 2.0 m x 4.0 m. make it detailed.

Lines 124-125: Jiang et al [25]. (Jiang et al. [25]).

Results:

Lines 154-203: Reference the figure that the presented results belong to.

Lines 186-195: Yield should be presented in parentheses (t ha^-1) so that readers can observe the amount of increase not only in percentage but in tons, as it is the most economically important variable.

Figure 1: Figure 1 is of poor quality, impairing the understanding of the subtitles, so improve it as in the other figures.

Discussion: The discussion was well elaborated and manages to explain all the results obtained.

Conclusion: The conclusion supports the results obtained, the objective and the title of the research.

Lines 303-304: Authors must indicate which optimal dose of N and Se together improved all components highlighted in the conclusion.

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Thank you for reviewing our manuscript. Your comments will be of great help to improve the quality of our manuscripts and our future work. This is our response to your comments.

This study was well developed and elaborated, and it was able to express that the combination of sufficient N fertilization and Se application could improve potato production components and root access to Se.

Abstract: The abstract explains all the importance of the research.

Line 9: Delete the summary:

A: It has been deleted

A brief Introduction that accurately illustrates the research topic.

Lines 52-57: In the nitrogen paragraph, write a sentence about the importance of this nutrient for increasing photosynthetic rates and how it can help increase yields.

A: Descriptions and references have been added

Materials and methods: The materials and methods are well explained and provide the reader with the development of the research.

Line 74:24 plots or 27 plots? (3*3*3 = 27 plots). Sublots containing 4.0mx 6.0m or full lots containing this measurement. If it is a lot size, then the author has 9 4.0mx 6.0m lots and 2.0mx 4.0m sublots. Make it detailed.

A: This is our description error. There are 27 plots. Each lot has an area of 4.0mx 6.0m.

Lines 124-125: Jiang et al. [25]. (Jiang et al. [25]).

Answer: It has been modified

Results:

Lines 154-203: Reference the graph to which the display results belong.

A: In the results section, we specify the picture number corresponding to the text description

Lines 186-195: The yield should be shown in parentheses (t ha-1) so that the reader can observe not only the percentage but also the increase in tonnage, since it is the most important variable in the economy.

A: We will replace the data described by percentages with t ha-1

FIG. 1: The quality of FIG. 1 was poor and affected the understanding of subtitles, so it was improved like other pictures.

A: We re-output the picture to improve the quality of the picture.

Discussion: The discussion was well elaborated and managed to explain all the results obtained.

Conclusions: The conclusions support the results obtained, the purpose of the study, and the title.

Lines 303-304: The authors must indicate that the optimal dose of N and Se together improved all components highlighted in the conclusion.

A: We added the optimal combination of nitrogen and selenium in the conclusion.

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Authors,

The manuscript “Nitrogen and selenium fertilizer management improves potato root function, photosynthesis, yield and selenium enrichment” is an interesting paper for readers about the effects of Se and N on the yield and growth of potato althought the effects of individual Se or N on potato growth have well studied. Please consider some small point as belove:

- Please consider which parameter is more important (Se or N) and that selected parameter should be mentioned first in the title and also in the introduction part.

- Soil in the study was very rich in available nitrogen, please mention/explain why research team chose that N rates (0-150-200) because the recomendation N rate for potato is around100-150 for mountainous areas. Authors should mention what is recomended fertilizer rate for potato or why study selected that rate.

- In the “result” part, authors must mention which figure showed the data for readers could follow (3.1 to 3.5).

Author Response

Thank you for your review of our manuscript. Your comments will be of great help to the improvement of our manuscript quality and future work. Here is our reply to your comments.

Dear Authors,

The manuscript “Nitrogen and selenium fertilizer management improves potato root function, photosynthesis, yield and selenium enrichment” is an interesting paper for readers about the effects of Se and N on the yield and growth of potato althought the effects of individual Se or N on potato growth have well studied. Please consider some small point as belove:

- Please consider which parameter is more important (Se or N) and that selected parameter should be mentioned first in the title and also in the introduction part.

Answer:Because one of our purposes is to explore the selenium rich potential of potatoes, and selenium treatment significantly affects the selenium content of tubers. Therefore, we think selenium is more important, and we changed the order of the two elements in the title.Selenium is first mentioned in the abstract and introduction.

- Soil in the study was very rich in available nitrogen, please mention/explain why research team chose that N rates (0-150-200) because the recomendation N rate for potato is around100-150 for mountainous areas. Authors should mention what is recomended fertilizer rate for potato or why study selected that rate.

Answer:The research site is located in Jianghan Plain, Hubei Province, where the groundwater level is high and the rainfall is large, and nitrogen fertilizer is seriously lost through underground leakage and surface runoff. Therefore, farmers are used to applying 150 kg ha^-1 N when planting potatoes. We set 200 kg ha^-1 N to explore whether more nitrogen input can further improve potato yield and selenium absorption.

- In the “result” part, authors must mention which figure showed the data for readers could follow (3.1 to 3.5).

Answer:In the result section, we indicate the corresponding picture number of the text description

Reviewer 3 Report

The paper with the title “Nitrogen and selenium fertilizer management improves potato root function, photosynthesis, yield and selenium enrichment” investigated the influence of fertilization with N and Se on growth and yield of potato, with favorable results. Biofortified potatoes with Se could be a way to supplement Se uptake in humans.

Abstract
Should be simplified and only main conclusions highlighted.

Introduction
Is sufficiently comprehensive, but aim and objectives are not well defined. Please name 2-3 objectives for your study. Preferably the objectives should be defined as the steps considered for reaching the aim, and the conclusions should also address the same objectives.

Material and Method
Sufficiently well detailed. Maybe a visual presentation (such as figure of flow chart) of the experiment layout would help the readers to better understand the experiment. Most early season potatoes reach maturity at 75-90 days, the fact that a potato variety of 60-day (from emergence to maturity) was used is interesting. Please give a more comprehensive description of this variety. Perhaps climatic data could be added (temperatures and precipitations) at material and method section.

Results
Are presented in a very concise manner, perhaps some improvements could be brought to help readers to follow more easily the sequence of results.

Conclusion
There is no structure of the conclusion section. Please define your objectives first and then, write the conclusions.

Best regards.

Author Response

Thank you for your review of our manuscript. Your comments will be of great help to the improvement of our manuscript quality and future work. Here is our reply to your comments.

The paper with the title “Nitrogen and selenium fertilizer management improves potato root function, photosynthesis, yield and selenium enrichment” investigated the influence of fertilization with N and Se on growth and yield of potato, with favorable results. Biofortified potatoes with Se could be a way to supplement Se uptake in humans.

Abstract

Should be simplified and only main conclusions highlighted.

Answer:We further simplified the summary and only reflected the main conclusions

Introduction

Is sufficiently comprehensive, but aim and objectives are not well defined. Please name 2-3 objectives for your study. Preferably the objectives should be defined as the steps considered for reaching the aim, and the conclusions should also address the same objectives.

Answer:We have added the purpose of this study in the introduction. The main purposes of this study are: 1. Explore the potential of Se and N fertilizer combined application to promote potato growth and yield. 2. Explore the effect of N application level on Se absorption of potato

Material and Method

Sufficiently well detailed. Maybe a visual presentation (such as figure of flow chart) of the experiment layout would help the readers to better understand the experiment. Most early season potatoes reach maturity at 75-90 days, the fact that a potato variety of 60-day (from emergence to maturity) was used is interesting. Please give a more comprehensive description of this variety. Perhaps climatic data could be added (temperatures and precipitations) at material and method section.

Answer:We have supplemented the flow chart and meteorological data of the test layout in the materials and methods section. For the early maturing potato variety "Zaodabai", we added references, which introduced the breeding process and field performance of this variety in detail.

Results

Are presented in a very concise manner, perhaps some improvements could be brought to help readers to follow more easily the sequence of results.

Answer:We have modified the result section to make it easier to understand

Conclusion

There is no structure of the conclusion section. Please define your objectives first and then, write the conclusions.

Answer:We supplemented the purpose in the introduction. At the same time, we revised the conclusion.

Reviewer 4 Report

The paper is interesting, generally well written and clear. The need for undertaken studies is sufficiently justified, methodology and results are clearly presented and well confronted with the results of the other authors. However I see some mistakes in the text, which need to be corrected.

There is some inconsistency between methodology and presented results. In the Materials and Methods chapter (lines 71-78) the split plot experimental design is indicated and Se application level as the main plot and N application level as the sub plot. It indicates that Se treatments were randomized inside each N level treatment. However all figures in the Results and Discussion chapters show quite different arrangement, N application levels as main plots and Se application levels as subplots.

In the Materials and Methods chapter (line 74) the total number of 24 sample plots is indicated. In my opinion it is mistake due to 3 application levels of N and 3 application levels of Se and 3 replications give total 27 plots.

Line 109. Specify the sampling times

In lines 148-149 there is the information on the using of ANOVA in comparisons the differences of the same index between two years. However the results are not commented in the other chapters.

In the text of the result descriptions the figure numbers should be indicated. The figure with Selenium content in potato is omitted at all.

The conclusion (line 302) is a little bit unclear. Both Se and N application levels should be indicated.

The other grammar mistakes are indicated in the text. For example, line 104 and 108-109: the activities should be described in the past tense.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Thank you for your review of our manuscript. Your comments will be of great help to the improvement of our manuscript quality and future work. Here is our reply to your comments.

The paper is interesting, generally well written and clear. The need for undertaken studies is sufficiently justified, methodology and results are clearly presented and well confronted with the results of the other authors. However I see some mistakes in the text, which need to be corrected.

There is some inconsistency between methodology and presented results. In the Materials and Methods chapter (lines 71-78) the split plot experimental design is indicated and Se application level as the main plot and N application level as the sub plot. It indicates that Se treatments were randomized inside each N level treatment. However all figures in the Results and Discussion chapters show quite different arrangement, N application levels as main plots and Se application levels as subplots.

Answer:We have changed the clerical errors in materials and methods. Nitrogen treatment is the main plot and selenium treatment is the sub plot

In the Materials and Methods chapter (line 74) the total number of 24 sample plots is indicated. In my opinion it is mistake due to 3 application levels of N and 3 application levels of Se and 3 replications give total 27 plots.

Answer:Here is our description error. There are 27 plots in total. The area of each plots is 4.0 m x 6.0 m.

Line 109. Specify the sampling times

Answer:Leaf area index and net photosynthetic rate was determined during the expansion period of potato pieces.

In lines 148-149 there is the information on the using of ANOVA in comparisons the differences of the same index between two years. However the results are not commented in the other chapters.

Answer:As there is no significant difference between the indicators in two years, and the interaction between the year and other treatments has no significant impact on the indicators, the impact of the year has not been improved in the results and discussions. We also supplemented the meteorological data of potato growing season in two years

In the text of the result descriptions the figure numbers should be indicated. The figure with Selenium content in potato is omitted at all.

Answer:In the result section, we indicate the corresponding picture number of the text description. We added pictures of selenium content in potatoes

The conclusion (line 302) is a little bit unclear. Both Se and N application levels should be indicated.

Answer:We added the best combination of nitrogen and selenium in the conclusion part.

The other grammar mistakes are indicated in the text. For example, line 104 and 108-109: the activities should be described in the past tense.

Answer:We revised the grammar in the manuscript

 

Potatoes are vital for humans and livestock of many regions of the world. Nitrogen beside water is knowns as a leading factor of yield formation also in potatoe production. The manuscript descrobes the research of nitrogen and selenium treatments on potato tuber yield and some crop' physiological and biochemical traits. From methodological and descriptive point of view the work manuscript sounds good.

Thank you very much for your affirmation of our research results, which greatly enhanced our confidence in our work. I also wish you success in your scientific research!

Reviewer 5 Report

Potatoes are vital for humans and livestock of many regions of the world. Nitrogen beside water is knowns as a leading factor of yield formation also in potatoe production. The manuscript descrobes the research of nitrogen and selenium treatments on potato tuber yield and some crop' physiological and biochemical traits. From methodological and descriptive point of view the work manuscript sounds good.

Author Response

Potatoes are vital for humans and livestock of many regions of the world. Nitrogen beside water is knowns as a leading factor of yield formation also in potatoe production. The manuscript descrobes the research of nitrogen and selenium treatments on potato tuber yield and some crop' physiological and biochemical traits. From methodological and descriptive point of view the work manuscript sounds good.

Thank you very much for your affirmation of our research results, which greatly enhanced our confidence in our work. I also wish you success in your scientific research!

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

Authors made efforts to improve their manuscript and my all comments were addressed.

Best regards.