Biomass Production and Quality of Twelve Fast-Growing Tree Taxa in Short Rotation under Mediterranean Climate

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In the current study,  twelve fast-growing woody taxa belonging to the Eucalyptus, Casuarina, Populus and Paulownia genera, were tested in the same climatic condition to investigate their quality in terms of growth, biomass and energy use. Randomized complete block design was used for the experimental trial that was established on a nutrient and organic matter poor soil. The measurements were taken for eight years and all the data were well-analyzed statistically. The data were assessed in many aspects including; yield, growth, pellet production, biomass quality for energy use.

In terms of experimental design and statistical analysis the all the works are well designed and the results were well represented in the article. The language, tables and figures are sufficient to understand the overall data. The article is novel and can be published in this form. I just wanted to give a few recommendation;

1.        A figure indicating experimental design of plantation would be good.

2.        The relationships between growth of plants and precipitation or change in summer temperatures could be also added into article to assess the effects of global warming on the tree growth (this data could also create another article)

3.        The study was carried out in a local region. However, it is better to discuss the growth of trees in other parts of Spain or throughout the Mediterranean region by taking the change of climatic conditions into consideration.   

Author Response

See attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

A solid paper reporting finding from growing several clones in a med climate. 

Points for potential improvement:

- Tables should not feature in the discussion these should all be in the results. 

- Would be good to have a little more context about med climate and these crops - i.e. in future will they need to be grown there, how will climate change make this more challenging, how appropriate is irrigation in these systems?

- Please add something about how commercially ready these crops are - i.e. does the infrastructure and market exist for them to be readily deployed by farmers?

Author Response

See attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf