The Effect of Social Network on Controlled-Release Fertilizer Use: Evidence from Rice Large-Scale Farmers in Jiangsu Province, China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In this study, a very important subject has been examined. The study has scientific competence. However, some issues need clarification.

What is the pervasive impact of the study results? That is, who will use the findings from this study and how?

It has been stated that the use of fertilizers is intense in China. Does the Chinese government have a policy to reduce Fertilizer use?

Authors should explain these issues in the study.

Thank you

Author Response

Thank you for your comments concerning our manuscript entitled“ The Role of Social Network on Controlled-release Fertilizer Use: Evidence from Rice Large-Scale Farmers in China”(sustainability-2180764).

Those comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our paper, as well as the important guiding significance to our research. We have studied the comments carefully and have made corrections which we hope meet with approval. Revised portions are marked in red in the paper and the responses to your comments are in the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Main Comments

1.      I want to suggest that the word ‘role’ in the title of the manuscript be replaced with the word ‘effect’. Thus, the title should be ‘ The Effect of Social Network on Controlled-Fertilizer use: Evidence from Rice Large-scale farmers in China. In addition, the scope of this study is too small to be generalized to the whole of China, one province and two villages (Taizhou and Yancheng of Jiangsu Province). Hence the title should reflect only one province and should be re-stated as the ‘evidence from Rice Large-scale farmers in Jiangsu Province, China

2.      The focus of this study is on controlled-release fertilizer. The author assumed that everyone is familiar with this type of fertilizer. I will suggest that the authors include a brief description in the introduction section of what controlled-release fertilizer is and how it is different/ better than quick-release fertilizer

3.      On page 11, Table 5: Robustness test results. The author presented the results from a Heckman-two-stage model. There was no mention of this model nor presentation of any equation related to the model in the body of the manuscript. This should be mentioned and explained briefly under section 5.3. model specification, page 9.

Minor comments

1.       The statement under the introduction, page 1, lines 35-36 ..’To fix conventional fertilizer issues, the use of CRFs (Hereinafter referred to as CRFs)’. The acronym ‘CRFs’ should first be written in full.

2.       The variables education and health were defined as categorical variables, how were they included in the analyses (binary or categorical)?

3.       Under the conclusion on page 12, line 434 the word impact should be removed from this statement ‘This paper investigated the impact of social networks on the adoption behavior of’. The authors did not conduct an impact study, since there was no adoption of impact methodology.

Author Response

Thank you for your comments concerning our manuscript entitled“ The Role of Social Network on Controlled-release Fertilizer Use: Evidence from Rice Large-Scale Farmers in China”(sustainability-2180764).

Those comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our paper, as well as the important guiding significance to our research. We have studied the comments carefully and have made corrections which we hope meet with approval. Revised portions are marked in red in the paper and the responses to your comments are in the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

The subject of the article is interesting, it can find recipients in many countries. It is important in the context of environmental protection and increasing agricultural productivity. It provides practical implications for government and agricultural policymakers. However, I have a few remarks:

– the abbreviation CRF needs to be explained the first time

- from line 184 to 190 there is no footnote - it needs to be completed

– line 215-216 reference to literature, please complete

- line 232- agribusiness economics literature would be useful for such statements

- What does "downstream agricultural stores" mean? – line 244, please change the expression to something more understandable

- There are no discussed results from table 3 - e.g. what does Number of mobile phone contacts = 219.52 mean? Please discuss the results of table 3

- Table 4 - all 5 models should be explained - what they are characterized by, because one word in the column header is not enough

Best regards

Author Response

Thank you for your comments concerning our manuscript entitled“ The Role of Social Network on Controlled-release Fertilizer Use: Evidence from Rice Large-Scale Farmers in China”(sustainability-2180764).

Those comments are all valuable and very helpful for revising and improving our paper, as well as the important guiding significance to our research. We have studied the comments carefully and have made corrections which we hope meet with approval. Revised portions are marked in red in the paper and the responses to your comments are in the attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Suggested corrections have been made in Manuscript

Thanks. 

Reviewer 3 Report

Thank you that the Authors of the article have corrected the article in accordance with all suggestions. It's nice to see cooperation in this journal. The article can now be published.

Best regards