Impacts of Biochar on Trifolium incarnatum and Lolium multiflorum: Soil Nutrient Retention and Loss in Sandy Loam Amended with Dairy Manure

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear authors, I want to congratulate you for your contribution to this research, but it still needs improvements, the major ones I have concluded below.

 

 

Introduction

 

All this information should be supported by more specialist literature (bibliography), at the same time there is no mention of the concept of Biochar, nor in the first cited sources (1-8) is there a study that reflects or is about Biochar.

 

It seems to me that there are few articles on the subject of Biochar (8), in which I did not find any where the 2 species of fodder plants (T. incarnatum and L. Multiflorum) are discussed. I recommend adding more substantial and numerous bibliographic sources, there are a lot of researches, especially on Lolium.

 

2.1. Experimental design - Probably a scheme with an experimental design would have been very suggestive.

2.1.2. Biochar preparation-These types of BC, do they have any more detailed analyzes for each type?

 

2.1.4. Sowing and Watering - The reader cannot understand if climatic factors were taken into account, I understand that there were controlled factors in the greenhouse, but what happens if we place the experiment outside the greenhouse, and cancel it in the field, what are the changes, what are the differences do we have the results??

With what amount of water was the watering done, that is, can a correlation be made, for example, with the precipitation that falls in the study area?

 

2.2.1. Soil - What is the weight at which the soil stabilized and then sieved?

3.1.1 - The meanings for each value should be added to table 1

Results -

Figures 9,8, 7, 6, 5, 4,3,2,1 - must be redone, nothing is understood!!!

Other comments - The current work has many results, but it is difficult for the reader to understand what is the purpose and objectives of this research, it should be highlighted somewhere in the introduction what is the purpose and what is the novelty of this research, what is new compared to the multitude of research that exists at the moment.

Discussion – this section must be revised substantially (major), all the arguments brought to the discussions must be argued by specialized literature, respectively cited bibliographic sources. Remade!

This research does not have the Section - Conclusions - but this section is very important because here we must find the answer to the proposed objectives (section that must be substantially improved, as I maintained). Conclusions must be made!!

 

Other observations

It was quite difficult to score many minor observations that exist because there is no row numbering.

Their placement, in the first part, is Align Left, but everything must be Justify, check everywhere.

References - this section is incomplete, too few bibliographic titles, far too few for a research like this.

Dear authors, I carefully analyzed this work, but it needs major improvements.

Author Response

We thank the reviewer for their thorough work and respond to each suggestion as follows: 

All this information should be supported by more specialist literature (bibliography), at the same time there is no mention of the concept of Biochar, nor in the first cited sources (1-8) is there a study that reflects or is about Biochar.

 

Authors: Biochar discussed extensively (5 paragraphs) on page 2. Updated biochar literature from 2021 and 2022 references in introduction and discussion sections.

 

It seems to me that there are few articles on the subject of Biochar (8), in which I did not find any where the 2 species of fodder plants (T. incarnatum and L. Multiflorum) are discussed. I recommend adding more substantial and numerous bibliographic sources, there are a lot of researches, especially on Lolium.

 

Authors: Added recent references to Trifolium (genus, nothing specific on T. incarnatum) and Lolium agronomic studies with biochar.

 

2.1. Experimental design - Probably a scheme with an experimental design would have been very suggestive.

 

Authors: Agreed, however, our expectation is that text description will suffice and require less space in an article that is already overly long.

 

2.1.2. Biochar preparation-These types of BC, do they have any more detailed analyzes for each type? The manufacturer’s methodology is proprietary so we are unable to provide greater preparation detail other than the materia prima. We describe the saturation process in detail.

 

2.1.4. Sowing and Watering - The reader cannot understand if climatic factors were taken into account, I understand that there were controlled factors in the greenhouse, but what happens if we place the experiment outside the greenhouse, and cancel it in the field, what are the changes, what are the differences do we have the results??

 

Authors: Great point. We are in the process of carrying out open-field trials to confirm greenhouse results. This is pointed out in the conclusions.

 

With what amount of water was the watering done, that is, can a correlation be made, for example, with the precipitation that falls in the study area?

 

Authors: Unfortunately, this was not done. Soil saturation is a replicable soil condition that we utilized in order to make results applicable in environments across the globe.

 

2.2.1. Soil - What is the weight at which the soil stabilized and then sieved?

 

Authors: Details added to the M&M.

 

3.1.1 - The meanings for each value should be added to table 1

 

Authors: These were added.

 

Results -

Figures 9,8, 7, 6, 5, 4,3,2,1 - must be redone, nothing is understood!!!

 

Authors: Abbreviations defined to clarify meanings.

Other comments - The current work has many results, but it is difficult for the reader to understand what is the purpose and objectives of this research, it should be highlighted somewhere in the introduction what is the purpose and what is the novelty of this research, what is new compared to the multitude of research that exists at the moment.

 

Authors: Extensive additional verbiage justifying the novelty of this research as well as the precise objectives has been added to the abstract and the end of the introduction section.

 

Discussion – this section must be revised substantially (major), all the arguments brought to the discussions must be argued by specialized literature, respectively cited bibliographic sources. Remade!

 

Authors: Additional discussion was added based on the updated literature cited in the introduction.

 

 

This research does not have the Section - Conclusions - but this section is very important because here we must find the answer to the proposed objectives (section that must be substantially improved, as I maintained). Conclusions must be made!!

 

Authors: We moved much of what the reviewer might consider “conclusion” from the discussion section to a separate Conclusions Section. We also summarized our findings in that section.

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Topic of the research paper is very important and we all know that Biochar has its unique physical and chemical properties, playing a significant role in enhancing soil carbon storage, improving soil quality and increasing crop yield. As a kind of exogenous material, biochar has the potential in impacting soil nutrient cycling directly or indirectly, and has profound influences on soil nutrient leaching. 

 Abstract-  Instead of " Our results indicate......."  It may be "Results indicate.......

Introduction-  It can be improved after adding some specific background.

Materials and Methods: Fulfilled various objectives set for the study. The methods and analytical tools have been explained properly in the  sub headings . On the whole, the methodology selected  is scientific and suitable.

Results- Data have been analysed properly and presented with the help of graphs and tables in a proper manner. Clearly explained the findings related  to Herbage biomass  and  soil  properties .

  Discussion:  Results of the study described in a critical manner interpretation of the findings, the discussion has been supported by scientific logic and necessary reasoning, wherever needed.

Conclusion - heading missing and not clear

References-   It would have been more effective if some recent references have been cited.

Author Response

Authors' comment: We very much appreciate the reviewer's constructive and realistic comments and suggestions. Responses to individual comments appear below. 

 

Topic of the research paper is very important and we all know that Biochar has its unique physical and chemical properties, playing a significant role in enhancing soil carbon storage, improving soil quality and increasing crop yield. As a kind of exogenous material, biochar has the potential in impacting soil nutrient cycling directly or indirectly, and has profound influences on soil nutrient leaching. 

 Abstract-  Instead of " Our results indicate......."  It may be "Results indicate.......

 

Author response: changes made.

 

Author response: Changed.

 

Introduction-  It can be improved after adding some specific background.

 

Author response: Added as per reviewer suggestions.

 

Materials and Methods: Fulfilled various objectives set for the study. The methods and analytical tools have been explained properly in the  sub headings . On the whole, the methodology selected  is scientific and suitable.

 

Author response: Greater detail added.

Results- Data have been analysed properly and presented with the help of graphs and tables in a proper manner. Clearly explained the findings related  to Herbage biomass  and  soil  properties .

  Discussion:  Results of the study described in a critical manner interpretation of the findings, the discussion has been supported by scientific logic and necessary reasoning, wherever needed.

Conclusion - heading missing and not clear

 

Author response: A completely new Conclusions section was added.

 

References-   It would have been more effective if some recent references have been cited.

 

Author response: More recently published citations and references relevant to this experiment were consulted and included.