Changes in the Physical, Chemical, and Bacterial Community Characteristics of Soil in Response to Short-Term Combined Organic–Inorganic Fertilizers in a Dry Direct-Seeded Paddy Field
, Bing Zou 1,2,3, Lingqi Xu 4, Jianing Zhang 1,2,3, Guiping Zheng 1,2,3, Haize Wang 1,2,3, Dawei Yin 1,2,3, Hongyu Li 1,2,3, Wenzhong Zhang 5, Yandong Lv 1,2,3,* and Minghui Zhao 5,*
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Manuscript addresses the short-term physical, chemical and microbial community changes in soil with the adoption of organo-mineral fertilization in direct-seeded paddy field.
In general, the work deals with an adequate methodology for conducting the experiment and with appropriate evaluation methodologies. In this context, some considerations are made below.
1. Introduction The challenges of the direct-seeded paddy field and why the adoption of this system is still incipient should be included.
2. Detail the hypothesis of the study that was not found at the end of the introductory item.
3. In the discussion item the authors can delve deeper into the relationships of chemical changes in the soil and the effect on the soil microbial community.
After these considerations, the publication of the manuscript is suggested.
Author Response
Reviewer 1
Manuscript addresses the short-term physical, chemical and microbial community changes in soil with the adoption of organo-mineral fertilization in direct-seeded paddy field.
In general, the work deals with an adequate methodology for conducting the experiment and with appropriate evaluation methodologies. In this context, some considerations are made below.
- Introduction The challenges of the direct-seeded paddy field and why the adoption of this system is still incipient should be included.
Response 1: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have made the requested revision in the text. (Line 49-56)
- Detail the hypothesis of the study that was not found at the end of the introductory item.
Response 2: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have made the requested revision in the text. (Line 98-104)
- In the discussion item the authors can delve deeper into the relationships of chemical changes in the soil and the effect on the soil microbial community.
Response 3: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have made the requested revision in the text. (Line526-531; Line 545-548)
After these considerations, the publication of the manuscript is suggested.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors tried to assess changes in soil properties and bacterial activities affected by some inorganic and organic fertilizers in paddies. It‘s a three years study and the authors provided good data and valuable results. The introduction, methods and discussion are well described and overall It has the potential to be published. There are some small points which would be better to consider it before further process.
Line 96: Please draw out control from parenthesis like a separate treatment.
The discussion is a single long paragraph. Please split it into two or three paragraphs!
Lines 411-413: Please bring a reference for this: ‘‘With the use of organic–inorganic combinations, a slower release of nutrients through the action of soil microorganisms takes place, allowing significant rises in available nitrogen and potassium contents.‘‘
Author Response
The authors tried to assess changes in soil properties and bacterial activities affected by some inorganic and organic fertilizers in paddies. It‘s a three years study and the authors provided good data and valuable results. The introduction, methods and discussion are well described and overall It has the potential to be published. There are some small points which would be better to consider it before further process.
Line 96: Please draw out control from parenthesis like a separate treatment.
Response 1: I apologize for not understanding your comment regarding this matter. Could you please further clarify what you intended so that we can better implement your suggestion?
The discussion is a single long paragraph. Please split it into two or three paragraphs!
Response 2: We apologize for this discrepancy and would like to thank you for your valuable advice. As such, we have revised the Discussion accordingly. Please refer to the revised manuscript.
Lines 411-413: Please bring a reference for this: ‘‘With the use of organic–inorganic combinations, a slower release of nutrients through the action of soil microorganisms takes place, allowing significant rises in available nitrogen and potassium contents.”
Response 3: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have added the corresponding reference. (Ref.40)
Reviewer 3 Report
The paper presents an interesting research, but it is difficult to understand because it presents numerous mistakes and it is necessary to improve the research methodology.
I believe that the following aspects should be improved:
- the accuracy of the paper must be improved, there are many drafting mistakes and negligence;
- detail the experimental variants;
- the experimental conditions must be presented, respectively the characteristics of the experimental field: what type of soil? what are its characteristics? what is the texture of the soil? what are the climatic conditions of the area? average annual temperature? multiannual average precipitation? the physical - geographical unit of the research area? and so on
- the research methods must be presented, specifying the references. It is not enough: soil neutral phosphatase and soil catalase activities were determined using the corresponding assay kits commercialized by the same manufacturer (Solarbio)....??? the research method must be specified, as in the case of the other determinations.
- improve the accuracy of the tables;
- make the figures legible;
- detail the discussions related to the presence and role of enzymes in relation to fertilization variants, in the conclusions chapter;
Author Response
The paper presents an interesting research, but it is difficult to understand because it presents numerous mistakes and it is necessary to improve the research methodology.
I believe that the following aspects should be improved:
- the accuracy of the paper must be improved, there are many drafting mistakes and negligence;
Response 1: Thank you for your valuable comments and insightful suggestions. As such, the entire manuscript has been meticulously revised and all errors/mistakes were corrected accordingly.
- detail the experimental variants;
Response 2: Thank you for your valuable suggestion. Further details on all experimental variants have been added accordingly.
- the experimental conditions must be presented, respectively the characteristics of the experimental field: what type of soil? what are its characteristics? what is the texture of the soil? what are the climatic conditions of the area? average annual temperature? multiannual average precipitation? the physical - geographical unit of the research area? and so on
Response 3: We sincerely apologize for missing the basic information of the experimental site upon our prior submission. However, we have supplemented of the corresponding information accordingly. Please check the revised manuscript Line 112-117.
- the research methods must be presented, specifying the references. It is not enough: soil neutral phosphatase and soil catalase activities were determined using the corresponding assay kits commercialized by the same manufacturer (Solarbio)….??? the research method must be specified, as in the case of the other determinations.
Response 4: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have added the corresponding methods used to measure soil neutral phosphatase and soil catalase activities. Additionally, we have added the measurement methods for urease and invertase and added the corresponding reference (Ref 33; Lines 177-204).
- improve the accuracy of the tables;
Response 5: Thank you for your valuable suggestion. We have revised all tables accordingly. Please refer to the revised manuscript.
- make the figures legible;
Response 6: Thank you for your suggestion. We have revised all figures accordingly.
- detail the discussions related to the presence and role of enzymes in relation to fertilization variants, in the conclusions chapter;
Response 7: Thank you for your insightful suggestion. We have added the corresponding information to the Discussion accordingly (Lines 526-531).
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
