The Impacts of Nitrogen Accumulation, Translocation, and Photosynthesis on Simultaneous Improvements in the Grain Yield and Gluten Quality of Dryland Wheat

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear,

Exclude keywords that are in the title.

Material and Methods

In Figure 1, why was there this increase in nutrients with the increase in harvests? Has any fertilization been done? To quote.

Mention where the climatic data of the region during the harvests were obtained.

Explain why photosynthesis measurements were taken during flowering. Wouldn't it be at the beginning of flowering? Explain.

Results

In the Figures with the regression analyses, why did they have very low determination coefficients? Wouldn't you rather post the equations too? Another thing, is this distribution the complete data or the averages? I suggest doing only the averages and seeing the fit of the line.

The photosynthesis rate was higher in the second harvest, what could have caused this? Explain in more detail in the text.

Conclusion

Reduce.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thank you very much for the comments about the submitted manuscript (agronomy-2336753). We have tried our best to revise the manuscript and would like to resubmit it for further consideration. I am very grateful to you for your constructive comments. The resubmitted manuscript was revised completely and marked with red color. Thanks again for the help in reviewing this manuscript! If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me at the address below.

Thank you and best regards.

Yours sincerely,

Yufeng Chen

E-mail: [email protected]

Corresponding author:

Gaogiong Fan

• mail: [email protected]

Comments from reviewer #1

Q1  : Exclude keywords that are in the title.

ANS : keywords that are in the title were deleted, and other keywords were added into new title.

Q2  : In Figure 1, why was there this increase in nutrients with the increase in harvests? Has any fertilization been done? To quote.

ANS : However, the variations in rainfall among three cropping years affected the root growth and nitrogen uptake of wheat and soybean, leading to differences in soil nutrients before sowing. For example, an increase in precipitation during 2018-19 cropping season is beneficial for nitrogen uptake of roots of wheat and soybean roots. on the contrary, drought during 2019-20 cropping season reduced above-ground nitrogen accumulation of plants. Before sowing, 150 kg ha^-1 N (at a 6:4 ratio of sowing: jointing), 75 kg ha^-1 P₂O₅, and 75 kg ha^-1 K₂O were applied. It is noteworthy that this study mainly focused on the effects of above-ground nitrogen accumulation and translocation on the simultaneous improvements in grain yield and gluten quality among different dryland wheat varieties.

Q3  : Mention where the climatic data of the region during the harvests were obtained.

ANS :The climatic data of the region during the harvests were selected from field microclimate weather station.

Q4  : Explain why photosynthesis measurements were taken during flowering. Wouldn't it be at the beginning of flowering? Explain.

ANS : Flag leaf photosynthesis-related traits were measured at the beginning of flowering. We have revised the description of the time of photosynthesis measurement in manuscript as your suggestions. Because many studies have confirmed that genetic gains in grain yield were related to the net photosynthesis rate at the beginning of flowering (Zheng,2011).

Q5  : In the Figures with the regression analyses, why did they have very low determination coefficients? Wouldn't you rather post the equations too? Another thing, is this distribution the complete data or the averages? I suggest doing only the averages and seeing the fit of the line.

ANS : Based on our previous two-year field experiment (Yang, 2021), 11 typical wheat cultivars, including landraces, advanced landraces, and modern cultivars, were chosen from 32 wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars released in southwest China between 1965 and 2017. The 11 wheat varieties were different in yield components, gluten quality-related traits and agronomic traits, which leads to low determination coefficients of the regression analyses. Our study was more representative and diverse in wheat variety selection, which showed the highlights and differences of this study in comparison to other studies. The equations have been posted in the figures with the regression analyses. This distribution was the averages to see the fit of the line.

Q6  : The photosynthesis rate was higher in the second harvest, what could have caused this? Explain in more detail in the text.

ANS : Drought decreased the net photosynthetic rate of flag leaves by reducing rubissco enzyme activity and stomatal opening, resulting in a decrease in grain yield.Thus, the net photosynthetic rate during 2019-20 cropping season was lower than that during 2020-21 cropping season. At the same time, we attributed the increase in net photosynthetic rate during 2020-21 cropping season to improved sink carbon demand resulting from increased grain number per spike.

Q7  : Conclusion Reduce.

ANS : Conclusion has been reduced as your suggestion.

Reviewer 2 Report

The work is good academically and novel for readers. I recommend  with following 

1- The title needs to be corrected according to the research conducted

2- The abstract needs to be improved by briefly explaining the background and problems. The research method needs to be explained and the results briefly

2- 14th  change to 14^th

^{3-  is there is any physical and chemical properties of soil} 

^4- there are many problems with the English language, please can improve this either by getting a native speaker or similar to proof read and review

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thank you very much for the comments about the submitted manuscript (agronomy-2336753). We have tried our best to revise the manuscript and would like to resubmit it for further consideration. I am very grateful to you for your constructive comments. The resubmitted manuscript was revised completely and marked with red color. Thanks again for the help in reviewing this manuscript! If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me at the address below.

Thank you and best regards.

Yours sincerely,

Yufeng Chen

E-mail: [email protected]

Corresponding author:

Gaogiong Fan

• mail: [email protected]

Comments from reviewer #2

Q1  : The title needs to be corrected according to the research conducted

ANS : The title has be corrected with new title “The impacts of nitrogen accumulation, translocation, and photosynthesis on simultaneous improvements in the grain yield and gluten quality of dryland wheat” according to the research conducted.

Q2  : The abstract needs to be improved by briefly explaining the background and problems. The research method needs to be explained and the results briefly

ANS :The abstract has been improved as your suggestions.

Q3  :  14th  change to 14^th

ANS :We have changed 14th to 14^th .

Q4  :  is there is any physical and chemical properties of soil 

ANS :  The physical and chemical properties of soil were shown in Figure 1.

Q5  :  There are many problems with the English language, please can improve this either by getting a native speaker or similar to proof read and review

ANS :Thanks for your suggestion.The revised manuscript undergo extensive English revisions by English editing department from MDPI. I believe that quality of English language of revised manuscript has been improved.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The work focus on relationship between N accumulation, N translocation and simultaneous improvements in dryland wheat yield and gluten quality.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,

Thank you very much for the comments about the submitted manuscript (agronomy-2336753). We have tried our best to revise the manuscript and would like to resubmit it for further consideration. I am very grateful to you for your constructive comments. The resubmitted manuscript was revised completely and marked with red color. Thanks again for the help in reviewing this manuscript! If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me at the address below.

Thank you and best regards.

Yours sincerely,

Yufeng Chen

E-mail: [email protected]

Corresponding author:

Gaogiong Fan

• mail: [email protected]

Comments from reviewer #3

Q1  :  English language and style are fine/minor spell check required

ANS : Thank you for your suggestions for this manuscript. The revised manuscript undergo extensive English revisions by English editing department from MDPI. I believe that quality of English language of revised manuscript has been improved.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors corrected and answered the questions.

Reviewer 2 Report

accepted