Influence of Bio-Fertilizer Type and Amount Jointly on Microbial Community Composition, Crop Production and Soil Health

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Where are the references of? (The methods do not contain any references)

·        soil organic carbon (SOC)  

·        Soil total nitrogen (TN)

·        Soil pH M

·        Measuring microbial biomass carbon and biomass nitrogen contents

·        Soil dehydrogenase activity (DEH)

·        Urease activity (URE

·        Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity

·        Invertase activity (SAC)

·        Analysis of soil bacterial community structure and diversity

·        Statistical analysis

Author Response

Reviewer #1:

We greatly appreciate your helpful comments on our paper. We have carefully revised our paper according to your comments. Please see responses in italicized font.

Reviewer #1:

1、Where are the references of? (The methods do not contain any references)

• soil organic carbon (SOC)
• Soil total nitrogen (TN)
• Soil pH M
• Measuring microbial biomass carbon and biomass nitrogen contents
• Soil dehydrogenase activity (DEH)
• Urease activity (URE
• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity
• Invertase activity (SAC)
• Analysis of soil bacterial community structure and diversity
• Statistical analysis.

Thank you for your suggestion. The references have been added to the manuscripts. (P. 3, line117-123; P. 4, line162, line164, and line176; P. 5, line207)

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Authors,

 

I have read and revised your manuscript about the topic "Fertilizer type and fertilizer amount jointly promote crop production and soil health" and I found it scientifically relevant and meets the high standards of the journal.

I suggest to give the final manuscript to an native English speaker to check the text accordingly.

 L.73- L.81 - repetitive information, please rephrase the sentences Method: Exact composition of the organic and chemical fertilizers should be added for better understanding Every analytical measurement should have a citation source in the method (e.g. subsections 2.2, 2.3, 2.4).

 

Fig. 2. is hardly visible, I suggest to modify accordingly.

I have no scientific comments on the manuscript, nice work.

 

Kind regards

 

 

English is more or less good, there are several grammatical and linguistical mistakes, and typos present in the text. English revision by a native speaker should be a must.

Author Response

Reviewer #2:

Thank you so much for your comments. We read the comments carefully and revised our manuscript accordingly.

Reviewer #2:

I have read and revised your manuscript about the topic "Fertilizer type and fertilizer amount jointly promote crop production and soil health" and I found it scientifically relevant and meets the high standards of the journal.

1、L.73- L.81 - repetitive information, please rephrase the sentences Method: Exact composition of the organic and chemical fertilizers should be added for better understanding. Every analytical measurement should have a citation source in the method (e.g. subsections 2.2, 2.3, 2.4).

Thank you for your suggestion. The sentence has been rewritten and the references have been added to the manuscripts. (P. 3, line105, line106 line117-123; P. 4, line162, line164, and line176; P. 5, line207)

 

2、Fig. 2. is hardly visible, I suggest to modify accordingly.

I have no scientific comments on the manuscript, nice work.

Thank you for your suggestion. The figure has been revised. (P. 7, line275)

Reviewer 3 Report

See attached.

 

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Please see the attachment

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

The research paper titled "Fertilizer type and fertilizer amount jointly promote crop production and soil health" presents a comprehensive 20-year investigation on field management practices that aim to increase crop yields and maintain soil health in the context of sustainable agriculture. The study focuses on the use of various fertilizer types (control, chemical, organic, and bio-fertilizer) and different fertilization amounts (conventional dosages and high dosages) to evaluate their impact on wheat yield, soil enzyme activity, microbial biomass, microbial diversity, and soil health.

The findings of this long-term study are both significant and compelling. The research demonstrates that the application of high dosages of bio-fertilizer can substantially enhance crop yields by at least 45% compared to other management combinations. Additionally, the use of high dosages of bio-fertilizer positively influences soil biological quality, as evidenced by increased concentrations of soil microbial biomass carbon, enhanced bacterial biodiversity, and an improved soil health index. Moreover, the impact of high dosages of fertilizer was found to be more pronounced than that of conventional dosages.

These results underscore the potential of bio-fertilizer in maintaining long-term soil health and promoting crop productivity. The research provides experimental evidence to support the efficacy of traditional agricultural practices and highlights the importance of sustainable agriculture in a changing world. The comparison between different fertilizer types and amounts allows for a comprehensive understanding of their effects on both crop yield and soil health.

One notable strength of this study is the duration of the investigation, spanning over 20 years. This long-term approach provides valuable insights into the sustained effects of the various management practices on both crop production and soil quality. Furthermore, the inclusion of multiple parameters, such as soil enzyme activity, microbial biomass, microbial diversity, and the soil health index, strengthens the credibility of the findings and offers a holistic evaluation of the interventions.

Overall, this research paper significantly contributes to the existing knowledge on field management practices for sustainable agriculture. The findings emphasize the potential benefits of high dosages of bio-fertilizer in increasing crop yields and improving soil health. The study's rigorous methodology, long-term approach, and comprehensive analysis make it a valuable resource for researchers, farmers, and policymakers seeking to enhance food production while preserving soil quality in the face of changing environmental conditions.

Suggestions to Authors

1.      The title needs to be more specific.

2.      Authors have not properly mentioned citations for different methodologies. It is a matter of concern. Only mentioning the methodology or protocol is not sufficient without proper citations.

3.      Discussion part lacks the mechanism part. Therefore, authors should elucidate the mechanism of findings obtained in this experiment.

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The quality of English language is satisfactory.

Author Response

Reviewer #4:

Thank you so much for your comments. We read the comments carefully and revised our manuscript accordingly.

 

1. The title needs to be more specific.

Thank you for your suggestion. The title has been revised.

 

2. Authors have not properly mentioned citations for different methodologies. It is a matter of concern. Only mentioning the methodology or protocol is not sufficient without proper citations.

Thank you for your suggestion. The references have been added to the manuscripts. (P. 3, line117-123; P. 4, line162, line164, and line176; P. 5, line207)

 

3. Discussion part lacks the mechanism part. Therefore, authors should elucidate the mechanism of findings obtained in this experiment

Thank you for your suggestion. We have added some descriptions. (P. 9, line346-348, line355-357, line176, line362; P. 10, line396-398, and line 412-414; P. 11, line453, line454)