Effects of Vermicompost Application on Growth and Heavy Metal Uptake of Barley Grown in Mudflat Salt-Affected Soils
, Wengang Zuo 1, Chuanhui Gu 2, Yuhua Shan 1,3,* and Yanchao Bai 1,3,*Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript presents a simple field experiment in which the authors examined the effect of vermicompost application on the physicochemical properties of soil, barley plant growth and accumulation of heavy metals in saline soil.
The experience is described in a simple and understandable way. However, the whole work lacks information on how the results of this experience can be used in agricultural practice.
In addition, the text itself should be converted to the schema recommended by the journal, and the Authors should read the instructions for providing abbreviations and citation. I am including my remaining comments as comments in the manuscript.
the manuscript is undoubtedly of better quality, however, it partially did not answer my previous comments.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
I am asking for uniformity in the administration of elements.
Response: We have made the changes accordingly. Thanks.
These abbreviations have already been explained in the abstract.
Response: We have made the changes accordingly. Thanks.
Why were such variants chosen? If this experience is potted, please recalculate what amounts are provided per pot?
Response: Thanks for the comments. This study is a field experiment. In order to achieve about 2.5‰, 5‰, 12.5‰, and 25‰ organic carbon content in mudflat soi, we therefore applied 25, 50, 125 and 250 tons of vermicompost per hectare, respectively.
n=?
Response: Thanks for the comments. Each treatment has three replicates (n=3).
Please also convert this amount per hectare (same as vermicompost). Please standardize the scales of experience.
Response: We have made the changes accordingly. Thanks.
What anova? How many factors were there?
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
In the discussion, I miss the element that tells us what the long-term effects of using such a solution may be.
Response: The long-term application of vermicompost derived from sewage sludge may be a challenge due to the risk of heavy metals. In this study, vermicompost was applied only once to achieve both control of total heavy metals and rapid desalination and fertility enhancement of mudflat soil. According to the results obtained so far, even under the highest application conditions, the heavy metal concentrations in soil and plants after one-time application of vermicompost were below the corresponding standard limits. Of course, we have been conducting research on the long-term effects of heavy metals after one-time application of vermicompost. Thanks.
At this point, there is no conclusion on the use of vermicompost in agriculture and an indication of the possibility of its use on a wider scale.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We revised the “Conclusions” section accordingly.
Values are given in terms of dry or wet mass?
Response: Thanks for the comments. Values are given in terms of dry mass. We’ve revised the “Soil and plant analysis” section to make the corresponding information clearer based on the comments.
There is no description of what the letters presented in the table mean.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We added the following sentence below each table for clarity of presentation.
Values are mean ± SD (standard deviation) of three replicates. Columns with different letters show significant difference between different treatments at p < 0.05 by LSD’s multiple range test.
Do error bars represent standard deviation or standard error? (note to all charts). Describe this in the material and method section (statistical analysis).
Response: Thanks for the comments. Error bars represent standard deviation. We have made the changes accordingly.
This description should be attached to each figure and table.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors did a good job on the article and corrected all the comments.
Author Response
The authors did a good job on the article and corrected all the comments.
Response: Thanks for the comments. The revision of the article based on the comments led to a significant improvement in the quality of the article.
Reviewer 3 Report
Dear Editors,
I would like to thank you very much for the invitation as a reviewer for the manuscript “Effects of vermicompost application on growth and heavy metal uptake of barley grown in mudflat salt-affected soils”
The manuscript is fascinating and dedicated to the vital problem: first of all, restoring of soil fertility for agricultural crop growing and utilization of wastes (sewage sludge)
Here are some remarks which could improve some aspects of this interesting manuscript. I enclosure converted word file for their better recognition.
The article is not formatted according to the articles rule of Agronomy journal!!!
Lines 57-61. Three times the word “soil” in same sentence, it needs better edition.
Lines 61-64. The same remark as for lines 57-61.
Line 89-92. The same remark as for lines 57-61 and 61-64. T
Lines 103-104. It would be better to inform readers about location of the experiment providing the geographical coordinates.
Lines 140-143. These two sentences should be united because the phrase “Combined with ……cities” has no subject and predicate.
Line 108. Not all of the readers know well all of the world burley cultivars even working with this crop. It would be more interesting to inform about some properties of this variety.
Line 115. Please specify the duration of the experiment. The accuracy of the data obtained and the validity of the conclusions directly depend on the duration of the experiment. In various years could be very different results.
Line 213. This remark is not only for this line. All figures and tables would be better to put directly in the text according to the data. It would be much easier for readers to understand the article.
Page 13, remark 17. There is no line numbers on this page. In the Figure 1 the significance of pH decreasing is hardly seen. It would be better to show in this Figure some data digitals to present better your results.
Line 33, page 14. Please specify, how does this relate to the maximum permissible concentrations?
Line 44, page 15. The references must be done according to the Journal Author’s Rule https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/instructions
Line 170, page 20. In pictures A and B the significance values are not visible. Would be better to add digitals.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
: I would like to thank you very much for the invitation as a reviewer for the manuscript “Effects of vermicompost application on growth and heavy metal uptake of barley grown in mudflat salt-affected soils”
The manuscript is fascinating and dedicated to the vital problem: first of all, restoring of soil fertility for agricultural crop growing and utilization of wastes (sewage sludge)
Here are some remarks which could improve some aspects of this interesting manuscript. I enclosure converted word file for their better recognition.
The article is not formatted according to the articles rule of Agronomy journal!!!
This is a repetition of the same idea.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We revised this sentence.
Lines 57-61. Three times the word “soil” in same sentence, it needs better edition.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
Lines 61-64. The same remark as for lines 57-61.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
Line 89-92. The same remark as for lines 57-61 and 61-64. T
Response: We have made the changes accordingly. Thanks.
Lines 103-104. It would be better to inform readers about location of the experiment providing the geographical coordinates.
Response: Thanks for the comments. For clarity, we added the following sentences.
The field experiment was conducted in Fangling reclamation area (32°36'30″ N, 121°56'03″ E) in Rudong County, Jiangsu Province, China.
Yearly rainfall?
Response: Thanks for the comments. It is yearly rainfall.
Line 108. Not all of the readers know well all of the world burley cultivars even working with this crop. It would be more interesting to inform about some properties of this variety.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We revised this sentence and now it reads “The barley cultivar used in this experiment was Yangnongpi 5 (Hordeum Vulgare L.), which is beer barley bred by Yangzhou University and suitable for winter barley cultivation in Jiangsu”.
The authors should give more information about vermicompost preparation and if it is possible about its properties.
Response: Thanks for the comments. A detailed description of vermicompost preparation process can be found in our previous published article.
Zuo W, Xu K, Zhang W, et al. Heavy metal distribution and uptake by maize in a mudflat soil amended by vermicompost derived from sewage sludge. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2019, 26(29): 30154-30166.
Line 115. Please specify the duration of the experiment. The accuracy of the data obtained and the validity of the conclusions directly depend on the duration of the experiment. In various years could be very different results.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
What was the purpose of sorghum: grain harvest or green manure.
Response: Thanks for the comments. First, sorghum is easier to grow in mudflat salt-affected soils than other crops, and second, sorghum can be returned to the field as a green manure.
It seems that it s no need to use the word “barley” so oft.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
Lines 140-143. These two sentences should be united because the phrase “Combined with ……cities” has no subject and predicate.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
The Kjeldahl method is generally accepted for the nitrogen analysis. Please describe the phosphorus determination via this method. It seems that authors did the total P analysis by the sulfuric acid-perchloric acid digestion-molybdenum-antimony colorimetric method. Better to divide the sentence
Response: Thanks for the comments. Since there are four indicators whose measurement methods need to be described, we use this description method to make the content more concise.
Line 213. This remark is not only for this line. All figures and tables would be better to put directly in the text according to the data. It would be much easier for readers to understand the article.
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
It would be better if these figures would be compared not only among the research treatments but also with permissible concentrations.
Response: Thanks for the comments. In the “Discussion” section, there is a comparison between treatment and permissible concentrations.
Page 13, remark 17. There is no line numbers on this page. In the Figure 1 the significance of pH decreasing is hardly seen. It would be better to show in this Figure some data digitals to present better your results.
Response: Thanks for the comments. At 50 t ha-1 vermicompost application rate, the differences in soil pH from the control value was significant.
Line 33, page 14. Please specify, how does this relate to the maximum permissible concentrations?
Response: Thanks for the comments. Related content is covered in “Discussion” section.
National Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB 15618-2008) limited Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn concentrations in soils, with the highest values being 1.0, 250, 100, and 300 mg kg-1. Although the application of vermicompost increased the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, and Zn) in the mudflat salt-affected soil, these concentrations did not exceed the maximum permitted concentrations as specified in the National Environmental Quality Standard for Soils.
Line 44, page 15. The references must be done according to the Journal Author’s Rule https://www.mdpi.com/journal/agronomy/instructions
Response: Thanks for the comments. We have made the changes accordingly.
Line 170, page 20. In pictures A and B the significance values are not visible. Would be better to add digitals.
Response: Thanks for the comments. The significance values are not visible because of the close values between the replicates of each treatment.
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The Authors have significantly improved the quality of the manuscript, so I recommend it for publication in its current form.
