Regulation of Density and Fertilization on Crude Protein Synthesis in Forage Maize in a Semiarid Rain-Fed Area
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper contains interesting studies on Regulation of density and fertilization on crude protein synthesis in forage maize in a semiarid rain-fed area. Although many studies have been conducted on that is still lacking in English and more informations. It is recommended to modify for a better version. Moreover the introduction and discussion section are not deep enough.
1. The manuscript needs English editing
2. Almost all keywords are already mentioned in the title. Please add another keyword not mentioned in the title of the manuscript
3. Where is the effect of the planting method on measured traits?
4. Abstract: it should consider focusing the important findings briefly.
5.Materials and methods-this part needs to describe very well by using suitable subheadings. However, it needs more of the data and information’s for the investigations, specially regards the climate, methodology and statisticians. It is suggested to prepare good data.
6. Results and Discussion-Both parts needs to be refined to avoid unnecessary repetition.
7. Conclusion-arrange this part with briefly and respect to formulated objectives.
8. References
9. For the N release dynamic is quite different, the authors should describe the kind of the N fertilizer they used.
10. The yield of biomass and the yield component (total biomass, stem biomass, leaf biomass, kernel biomass, ratio of vegetative biomass and productive biomass) should be list.
References were modified according to journal requirements
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 1 Comments
Point 1: The manuscript needs English editing.
Response 1: We have edited this manuscript by International Science Editing (http://www.internationalscienceediting.com).
Point 2: Almost all keywords are already mentioned in the title. Please add another keyword not mentioned in the title of the manuscript.
Response 2: We have added “Quality improvement”.
Point 3: Where is the effect of the planting method on measured traits?
Response 3: “planting method” refer to different planting densities and fertilization methods in this study.
Point 4: 4. Abstract: it should consider focusing the important findings briefly.
Response 4: We have refined the abstract and deleted “ The GPT activity was significantly negatively related with planting desitiny”.
Point 5: Materials and methods-this part needs to describe very well by using suitable subheadings. However, it needs more of the data and information’s for the investigations, specially regards the climate, methodology and statisticians. It is suggested to prepare good data.
Response 5: We have refined meteorological data, Statistical Analysis and replaced Figure 1. Schematic diagram of PM.
Point 6: Results and Discussion-Both parts needs to be refined to avoid unnecessary repetition.
Response 6: We have refined them.
Point 7: Conclusion-arrange this part with briefly and respect to formulated objectives.
Response 7: We have refined them.
Point 8: References were modified according to journal requirements
Response 8: We have modified them.
Point 9: For the N release dynamic is quite different, the authors should describe the kind of the N fertilizer they used.
Response 9: We have added “Nitrogen fertilizer is used in ordinary urea ( nitrogen content 46 % ) “ in “Experimental Design”
Point 10: The yield of biomass and the yield component (total biomass, stem biomass, leaf biomass, kernel biomass, ratio of vegetative biomass and productive biomass) should be list.
Response 10: We have added it as Table 1.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
See my comments in attached file
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
Response to Reviewer 2 Comments
Point 1: Changed “result” into “results”.
Response 1: We have changed it.
Point 2: add dome new reference Heterosis studies for yield and quality traits in rabi quality protein maize Agricultural Science Digest - A Research Journal Year : 2011, Volume : 31, Issue : 3 First page : ( 206) Last page : ( 210) .
Response 2: We have added it.
Point 3: “but that population leaf area index gradually increases and total biomass initially
increases and then decreases”. Reframe the sentence properly
Response 3: We have changed it into “but population leaf area index increases, total biomass initially increases and then decreases.”
Point 4: 4. “Based on 35 years of records, mean annual rainfall average is 415 mm with nearly 68% occurring during June–September”, please add “year” in the setence.
Response 4: We have changed it into “Based on 35 years of records(1986-2020), mean annual rainfall average is 415 mm with nearly 68% occurring during June–September”
Point 5: “Eight treatments were applied during the growing seasons of 2019–2020”. Mention the name of the season
Response 5: We have mentioned it as ” Eight treatments were applied during the maize growing seasons(mid-April to late September) of 2019–2020”
Point 6: “Maize was sown at 5–8 cm depth in the furrows……”Please recheck the measurement.
Response 6: We have rechecked it.
Point 7: “The spacing was 30/24 cm at the planting densities of 60,000/75,000 plants ha−1”. Describe the plant to plant and row to row spacing.
Response 7: In this experiment, wide-narrow row(70cm/40cm) and furrow-ridge planting was used, and the ridge surface was used as the rainwater collecting surface to alleviate drought. The wide row is set for ventilation and light transmission. Therefore, the row spacing is certain, and the plant spacing is adjusted due to different densities.
Point 8: “flame photometer”. write the name of the company and model.
Response 8: We have added it as” “flame photometer( Beijing Zhongke keer Instrument Company Limited, M425)”
Point 9: . Write the full form of the activities of “GPT “in the subheadings
Response 9: We have added it as “The OD (optical density) value at 505 nm was measured by UV-4802S spectrophotometer and GPT activity was expressed as the catalytic production of 1 nmol pyruvate per minute.”
Point 10: “Samples were dried for 30 min at 105 °C to fix the chlorophyll and then dried at 80 °C to constant weight”. Mention where and how is it dried.
Response 10: We have changed it into “The samples were placed in an electric blast drying oven (Beijing hongda tianju test equipment co., Ltd. DHG-9070A), dried at 105 °C for 30 min to fix chlorophyll, and then dried at 80 °C until constant weight and crushed. After passing through 40 mesh sieve, the crude protein was determined by Kjeldahl method.”
Point 11: “Management of N fertilizer can significantly regulate plant N/K, the activities of key enzymes in protein synthesis (e.g. NR, GS and GPT), the content of free AAs as the immediate form of protein synthesis substrate, promote the transformation rate of AAs to grain and then regulate protein synthesis and its yield” The message that you are trying to convey is a bit confusing. Please reform the sentence clearly.
Response 11: We have changed it into “Management of N fertilizer can significantly regulate plant N/K, the activities of key enzymes in protein synthesis (e.g. NR, GS and GPT), the content of free AAs which is the immediate form of protein synthesis substrate, promote the transformation rate of AAs to grain and then regulate protein synthesis and its yield”
Point 12: “which needs further study”, add full-stop.
Response 12: We hace added “.”.
Point 13: Give some valuable recommendation in “conclusion”.
Response 13: We have added “It can bu see that DL-40(60,000 plants ha−1, 40% N topdressing at large trumpet stage)and DH-50(75,000 plants ha−1, 50% N topdressing at large trumpet stage) can be widely used as planting methods for improving the quality of forage maize”
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
All the comments has been resolved properly now the MS is ready for publication
