Usability of the Weather Forecast for Tackling Climatic Variability and Its Effect on Maize Crop Yield in Northeastern Hill Region of India

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

REVIEW

On the article on Usability of the weather forecast for tacking climatic variability and its effect on maize crop yield in Northeastern hill region of India and authors Debasish Chakraborty, Saurav Saha, Bira Kishore Sethy, Huidrom Dayananda Singh 1, Naseeb Singh Romen Sharma 3, A. Nomita Chanu, I. Walling, P. S. Rolling Anal 1, Samik Chowdhury, S. Hazarika, V. K. Mishra, Prakash Kumar Jha and P. V. Vara Prasad, proposed for publication in MDPI - Agronomy.

 

Using weather forecasts is important for the planning and management of different agricultural resources, especially during times of increased climatic variability. This investigation contributes to the evaluation of the use of medium-range weather forecast and its efficiency in agricultural production in NEH region, India. Тhe abstract represents well the purpose and results of the study. The research methods are clearly outlined. The location and methods used are comprehensively presented. The results for validation of meteorological elements are presented in detail and are well visualized.

Questions to the authors:

1. Why the field experiment is provided in one location only and why that is in those with the higher elevation?

2. Why the validation is made at the seasonal scale instead of a monthly scale?

3. Why rainfall validation was not done?

4. What is the duration of the field experiment?

Recommendations to the authors:

1.     To assess forecast accuracy on a monthly basis: I think that the evaluation could be done on a monthly basis. The maize growing season covers one month of pre-monsoon and three months of monsoon.

2.     To show mean BIAS and RMSE as a function of the forecast range (from 3 hours to 5 days).

3.     To analyze the effect of using the forecas: How is agro-advisories used in growing corn? During the implementation of which agrotechnical activities were the agro-advisories used to the greatest extent, during which period of the corn vegetation? It is not clear how the use of weather forecast affects corn yield. Are there periods of vegetation during which forecast accuracy is higher? Which activities of agrotechnology are affected by weather forecasting?

4.     A study of the accuracy and usability of medium-range weather forecasting is associated with maize yield. It would be more informative and useful to track how the forecast has been used in practice.

5.     The experimental plot (12m³) isn`t representative for the assessment of the effect of using agro-advisories on the yield from maize.   

In my opinion the idea to evaluate the accuracy and usability of the medium-range weather forecast and studying the effect of agro-advisory on the maize yield is good. However, the realization and the experiment design need to be studied in more depth. The validation process, with the comments made, has been correctly performed unlike the presentation of the relationship between forecast use and corn yield.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please find the response to reviewer attached. We have mentioned line number in the letter associated with the changes in the revised manuscript in track change mode.

Thanks,

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Here are issues I think to be addressed by authors:  

1.      In introduction section not sufficiently reviewed current state of weather forecast (medium range) approaches and examples/studies of its application for agriculture advisory services.

2.      Materials and methods section does not provide sufficient details on forecasting methodology that was used for evaluation.

3.      It is not clear how weather forecast-based recommendations were developed based on forecast parameters (max and min temperature, etc.) for maize. For example, when and much fertilizer to apply, when to sow, etc.)

Here are several more specific comments:

In the authors’ institutions’ list #6 is missing, and on other side there is #5, that is not in the list.

L45: please provide here additional and more relevant references on climate change impact.

L83-84: precipitation is missing from consideration. Any specific reason for this?

L305-310 Please move this part to Introduction or methodology sections for justification of selection of weather parameters for development of recommendations.

L374: Please extend the references list.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Please find the response to reviewer attached. We have mentioned line number in the letter associated with the changes in the revised manuscript in track change mode.

Thanks,

Authors

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Thanks for the comprehensive answers. I accept that the specific farming conditions in the study area do not allow for larger experimental plots.