Combining Willow Compost and Peat as Media for Juvenile Tomato Transplant Production
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
I believe the manuscript has been significantly
improved.
Author Response
Thank your comments and chance to revise, and resubmit the manuscript entitled:"Combining willow compost and peat as a media for tomato juvenile transplant production"by Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Józef Sowiński, Elżbieta Jamroz, Jakub Bekier.
English was improved and we addressed Reviewers’ comments.
Reviewer 1 Question - Comments
I believe the manuscript has been significantly improved.
Response
Yes we confirm. Manuscript has been improved and English.
Reviewer 2 Question - Comments
I have found that my comments have been answered in this version. In my opinion, your answer to this comment (below) could be added to the results section as well.
Response
Comments was added L. 317-322.
Reviewer 2 Question - Comments
My other remark is that you stated that you have changed "f.ex" to "e.g." (if f.ex. stands for "for example"), however, you missed actually changing it. It is just a minor thing that should be corrected.
Response
Thank you. Sorry for that. Yes we corrected.
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear Authors,
I have found that my comments have been answered in this version. In my opinion, your answer to this comment (below) could be added to the results section as well.
My other remark is that you stated that you have changed "f.ex" to "e.g." (if f.ex. stands for "for example"), however, you missed actually changing it. It is just a minor thing that should be corrected.
My overall opinion is that your manuscript improved a lot.
Best Regards
Question - Comments
Authors should explain that what was the difference in texture e.g. between S0 and SN. Or explain why the seedlings didn't fall out from S0 or from other treatments without peat? Or what was the problem?
Response – Answer
The addition of nitrogen or fungi to composted willow biomass resulted in faster decomposition of the lignin-cellulose mass. Compared to S0, finer particles and fibres accounted for a greater proportion in these substrates. Probably this process resulted in better water retention in the substrates with these components. The high amount of nitrogen in the homogeneous SN substrate was toxic to plants, while the addition of peat contributed to the improvement of plant quality.
Author Response
Thank your comments and chance to revise, and resubmit the manuscript entitled:"Combining willow compost and peat as a media for tomato juvenile transplant production"by Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Józef Sowiński, Elżbieta Jamroz, Jakub Bekier.
English was improved and we addressed Reviewers’ comments.
Reviewer 1 Question - Comments
I believe the manuscript has been significantly improved.
Response
Yes we confirm. Manuscript has been improved and English.
Reviewer 2 Question - Comments
I have found that my comments have been answered in this version. In my opinion, your answer to this comment (below) could be added to the results section as well.
Response
Comments was added L. 317-322.
Reviewer 2 Question - Comments
My other remark is that you stated that you have changed "f.ex" to "e.g." (if f.ex. stands for "for example"), however, you missed actually changing it. It is just a minor thing that should be corrected.
Response
Thank you. Sorry for that. Yes we corrected.
This manuscript is a resubmission of an earlier submission. The following is a list of the peer review reports and author responses from that submission.
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is an interesting attempt to combine willow compost and peat and to evaluate their suitability as substrates for tomato transplant cultivation.
Manuscript should be read by a fluent English speaker to correct some inaccuracies in meaning. For better reading experience and specific research interests, some parts need to be improved. Minor revision is recommended for acceptance.
Here are my specific comments:
- Page 2, lines 52-54: ‘Environmental losses ……. habitats.’ Please rephrase or explain better, it is not clear what’s your point.
- Page 2, lines 57-59: ‘International cooperation …… carbon resources.’ Please give more details. Explain in more detail why and how green economy is implemented and why carbon resources are increased.
- Page 2, line 60: you may rephrase the sentence ‘…research related to the search for other organic …’.
- Page 2, lines 78-79: Please explain the reason you try to narrow the C/N ratio. What is the initial C/N ratio value?
- Page 2, lines 85-86: Please rephrase the sentence ‘In 2019, … were monitored’. Maybe ‘The composting process was carried out from April to October 2019, while throughout this period the temperature, humidity and cyclic mixing of the compost biomass were monitored’.
- Page 4, line 145: Please rephrase: ‘It was already observed at the first measurement … ‘.
- Page 4, lines 150-152: Please replace, check your English.
- Page 5, lines 161-162: How do you explain this?
- Page 5, line 163: You state: ‘… by 42.7 and by 54.0% …’. Why two percentages? Do you mean 42.7-54.0% ?
- Page 10, lines 262-263, table 8: ‘It was found that plants grown on SNF and SNF:P medium contained significantly more P, Mg and Ca.’ According to Table 8, P content was not the highest, especially in SNF:P medium (97.7).
- Page 11, line 291: Please replace ‘used’ with ‘can be used’.
- Page 11, lines 299-303: There is no reference in the text about physicochemical characteristics of the substrates or any comparison. Do you have results regarding CEC, porosity, aeration, water holding capacity, C/N etc?
- Page 11, lines 307-310: You state: ‘Willow compost with nitrogen addition used as a substrate for plant production was too toxic for the initial growth of tomato plants and all plants fell out during the first few days after pricking out.’ Do you believe that smaller addition of nitrogen would have less toxic result or different effect?
- Page 11, lines 327-332: Please explain what is the significance of this paragraph. You compare different things.
- Page 12, lines 348-350: I believe that results proved that willow compost can be used effectively when it is mixed with peat and not as a homogenous substrate alone.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
We are thankful for the insightful comments and chance to revise, strengthen, and resubmit the manuscript entitled:"Combining willow compost and peat as a media for tomato juvenile transplant production"by Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Józef Sowiński, ElzbietaJamroz, Jakub Bekier.
We addressed or answered for all Reviewers and Editors' comments. Below is the point-by-point response to each comment and description of changes in the manuscript.
Reviewer 1
Question - comments:
This is an interesting attempt to combine willow compost and peat and to evaluate their suitability as substrates for tomato transplant cultivation.
Manuscript should be read by a fluent English speaker to correct some inaccuracies in meaning. For better reading experience and specific research interests, some parts need to be improved. Minor revision is recommended for acceptance.
Response
Thank you for your comments. The English of the article has been improved
Question - Comments
Page 2, lines 52-54: ‘Environmental losses ……. habitats.’ Please rephrase or explain better, it is not clear what’s your point. Environmental losses associated with peatland exploitation also result from the loss of unique vegetation, important both locally and globally in maintaining genetic biodiversity of species and habitats (Kern et al., 2017).
Response - Corrected
Environmental degradation associated with peatland exploitation also result losses of unique vegetation for specific flora and fauna. Peatland is importantin both locally and globally for maintaining biodiversity (Kern et al., 2017).
Question - Comments
Page 2, lines 57-59: ‘International cooperation …… carbon resources.’ Please give more details. Explain in more detail why and how green economy is implemented and why carbon resources are increased. International cooperation on peat conservation seems to be the most rational way to implement the concept of green economy and to increase the use of renewable and fossil-competitive carbon resources (Scarlat et al. 2015, Mariotti et al. 2020, Atzori et al. 2021).
Response - Corrected
International cooperation on peat conservation seems to be the most rational way to implement the concept of green economy and to increase the use of renewable biomass for horticulture production (Scarlat et al. 2015, Mariotti et al. 2020, Atzori et al. 2021). Development of agriculture methods reducing carbon and other gasses emission significantly mitigate impact on climate change.
Question - Comments
Page 2, line 60: you may rephrase the sentence ‘…research related to the search for other organic. Moreover, research related to the search for other organic and mineral materials that could be used as a substitute or additive for horticultural substrates should be supported and intensified.
Response - Corrected
Therefore, research related to the search for other organic biomass and mineral materials which could be used as a component for horticultural substrates should be intensified.
Question - Comments
Page 2, lines 78-79: Please explain the reason you try to narrow the C/N ratio. What is the initial C/N ratio value?
Response - Added
Willow compost with the addition of nitrogen in the form of ammonium nitrate (ammonium nitrate, 32% N), added in order to narrow the C:N biomass ratio (SN). Willow lignocellulosic biomass has wide initial C:N ratio 118:1 (Kałuża-Haladyn 2020).
Question - Comments
Page 2, lines 85-86: Please rephrase the sentence ‘In 2019, … were monitored’. In 2019, the composting process was carried out from April to October, during which time the temperature, humidity and cyclic mixing of the compost biomass were monitored.
Response –Thank you for your proposal. It has been changed
The composting process was carried out from April to October 2019, while throughout this period the temperature, humidity and cyclic mixing of the compost biomass were monitored
Question - Comments
Page 4, line 145: Please rephrase: ‘It was already observed at the first measurement … ‘.
Response – Corrected
During first measurement in the SN substrate observed tomato seedlings languish (Table 2).
Question - Comments
Page 4, lines 150-152: Please replace, check your English. In the period of the first date of observation plants from substrates with the ratio of willow to peat: 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 were characterised by significantly better quality than in the peat substrate (0:100).
Response – Corrected
Plants grown on substrates with the ratio of willow to peat: 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 respectively were characterised by significantly better quality than from the peat substrate (0:100).
Question - Comments
Page 5, lines 161-162: How do you explain this? The addition of peat to each of the composts resulted in faster tomato plant growth (Table 3). However, the increase in plant height compared to the sites where homogeneous substrates were used was not always statistically proven (f.ex. S0:P).
Response – Explained
Peat addition probably improved substrate water condition especially water capacity.
Question - Comments
Page 5, line 163: You state: ‘… by 42.7 and by 54.0% …’. Why two percentages? Do you mean 42.7-54.0% ? Plants grown on SF:P substrate were significantly taller at the end of the cultivation period compared to SF by 42.7 and by 54.0%, while those on SFN:P substrate were 2.8-3.2 times taller throughout the cultivation period compared to plants from SFN substrate.
Response – Corrected
Plants grown on SF:P substrate were significantly taller at the end of the cultivation period compared to SF by 42.7-54.0%, while those on SFN:P substrate were 2.8-3.2 times taller throughout the cultivation period compared to plants from SFN substrate.
Question - Comments
Page 10, lines 262-263, table 8: ‘It was found that plants grown on SNF and SNF:P medium contained significantly more P, Mg and Ca.’ According to Table 8, P content was not the highest, especially in SNF:P medium (97.7). It was found that plants grown on SNF and SNF:P medium contained significantly more P, Mg and Ca.
Response – Corrected
It was found that plants grown on SNF and SN:P medium contained significantly more P, Mg and Ca.
Question - Comments
Page 11, line 291: Please replace ‘used’ with ‘can be used’Willow biomass surpluses (or in periods of decline utilisation) can be bioconverted through composting and the final product obtained used as a horticultural substrate replacing peat (Bekier et al.2021).
Response – Corrected
Willow biomass surpluses (or in periods of decline utilisation) can be bioconverted through composting and the final product obtained can be used as a horticultural substrate replacing peat (Bekier et al. 2021).
Question - Comments
Page 11, lines 299-303: There is no reference in the text about physicochemical characteristics of the substrates or any comparison. Do you have results regarding CEC, porosity, aeration, water holding capacity, C/N etc?The quality of horticultural medium plays a key role in the percentage of emergence as well as plant height, number of leaves and other morphological characteristics and yield of tomato (Vendrame et al., 2005, Vivek and Duraisamy 2017). The best horticultural medium for plant production should be characterized by good aeration and water holding capacity, high nutrient abundance (Amha et al. 2010, Caron et al. 2014).
Response - Answer
No research has been carried out on the physicochemical characteristic of substrate. In the following studies, it is planned to assess the physiochemical properties and composition of humic substances on selected substrates.
Question - Comments
Page 11, lines 307-310: You state: ‘Willow compost with nitrogen addition used as a substrate for plant production was too toxic for the initial growth of tomato plants and all plants fell out during the first few days after pricking out.’ Do you believe that smaller addition of nitrogen would have less toxic result or different effect?
Response - Answer
For the next composting experiment with willow biomass we are planning to add smaller dosses of nitrogen and estimate the effect on seedling growth.
Question - Comments
Page 11, lines 327-332: Please explain what is the significance of this paragraph. You compare different things. In the study conducted by Tuzel et al. (2020), increasing the proportion of compost in the substrate resulted in an average increase in SPAD from 30.58 (0% compost) to 31.96 (100% compost in the substrate). Similarly, in our study, increasing the proportion of peat in the substrate improved the SPAD values in the sampled plants and the differences were in a wider range from 8.1 (100% compost) to 32.7 in a substrate with a willow compost:peat ratio of 25:75.
Response - Corrected
Thank you for comments. The paragraph has been changed.
In the study conducted by Tuzel et al. (2020), increasing the proportion of compost in the substrate resulted in an average increase in SPAD from 30.58 (0% compost) to 31.96 (100% compost in the substrate). In the presented study, increasing the proportion of peat in the substrate improved the SPAD values in the tested plants and the differences range from 8.1 (100% compost) to 32.7 in a substrate with a willow compost content of 25%.
Question - Comments
Page 12, lines 348-350: I believe that results proved that willow compost can be used effectively when it is mixed with peat and not as a homogenous substrate alone. The results obtained showed a high value of biotransformed plant material and confirmed the possibility of using it as a homogenous substrate or in various modifications together with peat for the production of young tomato plants.
Response –Changed
The results obtained showed a high value of biotransformed plant material and confirmed the possibility of using it as a substrate in various modifications together with peat for the production of young tomato plants.
Reviewer 2 Report
Dear Authors!
This manuscript has good overall quality. I understand that this experiment generated a lot of data which sometimes leads to that these are going to be hard to present effectively.
I added my comments and concerns to the PDF version, so please found my remarks and questions in the file.
In the results section, I suggest the comparison of the best or mentioned treatment to the 100% peat treatment in the text more frequently (since it served as "control" in my understanding).
My other main concern is the lack of standard deviations from tables and the chart. Please include those.
Some words or text are only highlighted but not commented on. This means only the reformulation of the sentence to make it more readable or English check. In the beginning, I highlighted the citations which are not in the appropriate form.
Best Regards
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
We are thankful for the insightful comments and chance to revise, strengthen, and resubmit the manuscript entitled:"Combining willow compost and peat as a media for tomato juvenile transplant production"by Katarzyna Adamczewska-Sowińska, Józef Sowiński, ElzbietaJamroz, Jakub Bekier.
We addressed or answered for all Reviewers and Editors' comments. Below is the point-by-point response to each comment and description of changes in the manuscript.
Reviewer 2
Question - comments:
This manuscript has good overall quality. I understand that this experiment generated a lot of data which sometimes leads to that these are going to be hard to present effectively.
I added my comments and concerns to the PDF version, so please found my remarks and questions in the file.
In the results section, I suggest the comparison of the best or mentioned treatment to the 100% peat treatment in the text more frequently (since it served as "control" in my understanding).
My other main concern is the lack of standard deviations from tables and the chart. Please include those.
Some words or text are only highlighted but not commented on. This means only the reformulation of the sentence to make it more readable or English check. In the beginning, I highlighted the citations which are not in the appropriate form.
Response
Thank you for your comments. Below are the answers to the suggestions mentioned in the file. Standard deviation was added in table 2-5.
Question - Comments
Any measurements on how the fungus was able to colonize the substrate?
Any information on what is the concentration of fungi micelium spores in 1 liter?
Response - Answer
The behaviour of the fungus in the substrate ( its development, spread) was not the object of the study. The fungus Peniophora gigantea (SF) in the form of the product PG Poszwald is recommended to accelerate cellulose decomposition and for this purpose it was applied to the willow chips used in the experiment as a substrate component.
Question - Comments
Authors should state if the pots were randomly distributed on the tables or there was an order.
Response - Answer
In the experiment, the arrangement of the blocks (combinations) on the tables was randomized. Within each block there were 10 pots.
Question - Comments
Authors should explain that what was the dirrerence in texture e.g. between S0 and SN. Or explain why the seedlings didn't fall out from S0 or from other treatments without peat? Or what was the problem?
Response – Answer
The addition of nitrogen or fungi to composted willow biomass resulted in faster decomposition of the lignin-cellulose mass. Compared to S0, finer particles and fibres accounted for a greater proportion in these substrates. Probably this process resulted in better water retention in the substrates with these components. The high amount of nitrogen in the homogeneous SN substrate was toxic to plants, while the addition of peat contributed to the improvement of plant quality.
Question - Comments
Plant mortality level (if there were any) could be added to this table.
Response – Answer
At the final stage of transplant production (V measurements), the plant mortality rate (percentage of plant losses) was as follows for media type (in %): S0 - 0, S0:P - 0, SN - 100, SN:P - 43, SF - 0, SF:P - 0, SFN - 70, SFN:P - 17, P - 0.
Question - Comments
Do all these treatment have the same salix substrate:peat ratio in the upper region of the table (S0:P; SN:P; SF:P; SFN:P)? Or are these numbers the mean of the given treatment with all four substrate:peat ratios?
And in the bottom region of the table, are the numbers the mean of the different treatments with the same substrate:peat ratios?
Why did the Authors choose this way of presenting these data and not separately? I am aware of this is a lot of data. Please explain it in your answer.
Response – Answer
The tables related to seedling quality adopted a comparison of different horticultural substrates regardless of the percentage of components. It was also important to reduce the percentage of peat in the substrate and replace it with lignin-cellulose material. Therefore, the following method of presenting the results was chosen.
Question - Comments
This notation cannot be found in this table.
Response
Thank you. Notation n.s. has been put under table 3
Question - Comments
"e.g." could be used
Response - changed
Question - Comments
Standard deviations could be added in my opinion.
Response - added
Question - Comments
Please apply the error bars of standard deviation on the bar chart.
Response - added
