Green Manure Return Strategies to Improve Soil Properties and Spring Maize Productivity under Nitrogen Reduction in the North China Plain
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Abstract
- Underscore the scientific value-added to your paper in your abstract. Your abstract should clearly state the essence of the problem you are addressing, what you did and what you found and recommend. That will help a prospective reader of the abstract to decide if they wish to read the entire article.
- What is the TP, AN, AP in abstract?
- What is the best recommendation for farmers?
Introduction
- Highlight the novelty in this section.
- The objectives and hypothesis should be added in this section.
Materials and methods
- Please add the soil physical and chemical properties in one table.
- in section 2.2 the authors noted that ‘The field experiment was conducted in a split plot design with three replications over our years’? the study was performed in 2 years or 4 years?
- Given that the study presents a long list of abbreviations, I suggest adding a “glossary” table at the end of the paper as it will aid the readers to learn about the concepts/terms that they are about to study.
- Please add references for soil enzymes activity analysis.
- The soil nutrient analysis is unclear.
Results and discussion
This section is good.
- The quality of fig.1 is very low.
Table 1: Tables and Figures must be self-explanatory. That is, all abbreviations used must be clearly explained in the captions.
- Please compare the obtained results with similar studies. Also, highlight the novelty in this section, too.
Conclusion
- This section is repetitive and should be rewritten.
- Please make sure your conclusions' section underscores the scientific value-added of your paper, and/or the applicability of your findings/results. Highlight the novelty of your study.
Author Response
Dear Editor. Amorita Zhang
We thank you and the reviewers for the careful consideration and comments on the previous submission of our manuscript entitled “Green manure return strategies to improve soil properties and spring maize productivity under nitrogen reduction in the North China Plain” (agronomy-1971536). We have revised the paper thoroughly in response to their comments. Here, we reiterate their comments and indicate the nature of the revisions we made in response. We have also attached a version that highlighted the changes we have made to the manuscript by RED color.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Junzhu Ge
College of Agronomy, Resources and Environment, Tianjin Agricultural University,
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors propose a manuscript titled “Green manure return strategies to improve soil properties and spring maize productivity under nitrogen reduction in the North China Plain”.
I suggest the following changes:
Abstract
My suggestion to the authors is adding a contextual sentence about their motivation for the study at the Abstract section
Introduction
I suggest expanding this section, with the addition of more references
Results
The authors should provide ANOVA tables containing mean squares and degrees of freedom.
Conclusions
Regarding the parameters studied more detailed conclusion could be drawn
Author Response
Dear Editor. Amorita Zhang
We thank you and the reviewers for the careful consideration and comments on the previous submission of our manuscript entitled “Green manure return strategies to improve soil properties and spring maize productivity under nitrogen reduction in the North China Plain” (agronomy-1971536). We have revised the paper thoroughly in response to their comments. Here, we reiterate their comments and indicate the nature of the revisions we made in response. We have also attached a version that highlighted the changes we have made to the manuscript by RED color.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Junzhu Ge
College of Agronomy, Resources and Environment, Tianjin Agricultural University,
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
