The Possibility of Environmentally Sustainable Yield and Quality Management of Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) of the Cornetto Variety When Using Sapropel Extract

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors presented a relevant and interesting study related to a new type of organic fertilizer obtained from bottom sediments - sapropel.

 

Notes:

 

Lines 137-139: "At the same time, the qualitative composition of the resulting fertilizer will not have a negative environmental impact on the environment. Organic farming, normalization of the use of organomineral fertilizers, environmentally friendly agricultural products may have a positive impact on the health of the population, will allow achieving a high social effect."

Clarification is required on the impact of the transition to organic farming on the social effect, since it is stated that organic products are expensive and there is a negative social effect associated with higher prices.

 

Lines: 170-178 "Laboratory studies were carried out on three wheat varieties: Novosibirsk 31, Cornetto, Omsk 28. The working concentration of the optimal sapropel extract was 1.2g/l.

2.3 Field studies The experiment on the cultivation of spring wheat was conducted in the field season of 2023 on the basis of the agrobiological station of the M. Kozybaev Agricultural University, in accordance with the generally accepted methodology [57]. During the field study, the preference was given to Cornetto wheat, due to its resistance to many diseases and resistance to shedding on the root. This wheat variety is also widely used by farmers in the studied region. ». Note that beyond the scope of the study, it is necessary to justify the higher response varieties to the use of fertilizers from sapropel. The authors indicate that preference was given to the Cornetto variety, since it has a high yield and resistance to pathogens, in contrast to varieties with a more northern zoning and drought resistance. Thus, the varieties Novosibirskaya 31, Omskaya 28, which are recommended for cultivation in the Novosibirsk region of the Russian Federation for the zones of Lowland Boreal Forest, Foothills Boreal Forest, Lowland Forest-Steppe and Foothills Northern Forest-Steppe. The Omskaya 28 variety is declared to be highly resistant to steppe-type drought and other stresses. The variety is recommended for cultivation in the Oryol and Tambov regions of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, the following indicators are of interest: germination energy and seed viability increase already at “Sapropel extract concentration, g/l” at the level of 0.4. Apparently, lower concentrations, less than 0.4 g/l, should be used in the experiment.

 

Lines 285-289 “It is believed that the use of sapropel extract can also have a positive effect on the quality of grain crops. Due to the content of useful organic compounds in it, cereals grown on soil fertilized with propel can have a richer taste, bright color and increased nutritional content. We plan to study this in the future, with a variable experiment.”

It is believed that the use of sapropel, extract can also have a positive effect on the 285 quality of grain crops. Due to the content of useful organic compounds in it, cereals grown on soil fertilized with sapropel can have a richer taste, bright color and increased nutritional value."

Here, references or additional information on the effect of organic fertilizers on the taste and increased nutritional value of products are needed, instead of the unfortunate expression "can have."

 

Lines 433-436 of "Table 6. SWOT analysis of the possibilities and prospects of using sapropel fertilizers for the development of sustainable organic farming in the North Kazakhstan region".

 

The "Threats" section of the SWOT analysis does not indicate the following as threats: 1. control over compliance with sanitary standards and the level of substances accumulating in bottom sediments; 2. The impact of sapropel mining on the biodiversity of benthic communities; 3. Lack of resource assessment for sapropel mining and high costs of mining and transportation, as well as standardization of raw materials.

 

Lines 474-477 «In addition, the production of organic mineral fertilizers based on the natural resources of local lakes will help reduce the cost of purchasing standard fertilizers. The use of sapropel extract will reduce the environmental burden on the soil, while at the same time making grain production environmentally safe.».

Experience in the introduction and testing of organic fertilizers, for example, in potato production among farmers is associated with the experience of use and yield, usually the successful experience of 1-2 farmers in a municipal area leads to broad awareness of interested agricultural producers

 

It is also necessary to mention the role of organic fertilizers in maintaining fertility, reducing the effects and increasing resistance to wind and water erosion, reducing the contribution of agriculture to the formation of pollution of the runoff of watershed areas - diffuse pollution.

Author Response

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. 

Dear reviewer, we thank you for your interest and detailed analysis of our scientific article. We have tried to take into account your recommendations and improved the content of the publication.

Regarding your question about the impact of the transition to organic farming on the social effect, we explain the following: Organic farming, normalization of the use of organomineral fertilizers, environmentally friendly agricultural products may have a positive impact on the health of the population. The organization of new jobs will help to achieve a social effect.

We will take into account your proposed options for changing the concentrations of sapropel extract in further laboratory studies

We have added the points you suggested to the SWOT analysis

 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

In my opinion the manuscript is well presented, the subject is attractive to the scientific and agricultural professions. The topic is covered in detail and all aspects are considered.

In terms of the analyzes carried out, I think the study presented is complete, analyzes were carried out at various levels, but it is a little poor and sometimes makes monitoring difficult. I think the graphs and table can be improved. The introduction could be more focused on the topic and the results, discussion and conclusions section could be improved. I think this current form is too poor to be published. Throughout the manuscript I noticed that small things could be improved, which I list below.

Please find my suggestions below.

Improve abstract, the text is too long. Will be better if you reduce the introductory part, because have too much information that is repeated in the introduction.

Line 59 Keywords: choose sapropel or sapropel extract, please do not repeat the same.

General comment to introduction, please reduce the number of paragraphs, when you are talking about wheat put everything in the same paragraph, then about strategies another one, about Sapropel another one, etc.

Lines 63-73 can be a single paragraph (instead of four paragraphs). You can add information about the production and consumption of wheat since is the culture that you are studding. For example the main producer in the world, the total production in 2023, etc. With this you can show the importance of wheat, and then you can talk about the innovative strategies to make agriculture more sustainable. Then focus in the product that you test and finally the aim of your study. The aim is too long, please reduce the text that you already have.

Lines 147-148: I don’t understand, you use an aqueous solution and an alcoholic solution?

Line 149: 39°C (instead of 39 ° C), please uniformize in all paper

Line 152: g/L (instead of g/l), please uniformize in all paper

Line 166: 3^rd (instead of 3rd), please uniformize in all paper

Line 167: 7^th (instead of 7th)

Line 181 Sowing of wheat seeds was carried out on May 22^th, 2023 (instead of Sowing of wheat seeds was carried out on 05/22/2023)

Line 183: 4 m² (instead of 4 m2)

Lines 185 - 192: Please try to write something like this: In this trial a total of four treatments were testes, namely: 1 - Control (without fertilizers, background + dry seeds); 2- …

Lines 196 - 197: The seeding rate per 1 plot is 52g of wheat grain. The row spacing was 30cm (instead of The seeding rate per 1 plot is 52 grams of wheat grain. The row spacing was 30 centimeters). Please do the same for the entire text

Line 212: Tables 1 and 2 (instead of Tables 1, 2)

Lines 213 – 215: Sapropel extract concentration (g/L) (instead of Sapropel extract concentration, g/l)

Line 249: Weight of 1000 grains (g) (instead of Weight of 1000 grains, g.); Average yield (ton/ha) (instead of Average yield t/ha).

Line 254: Table 3 (instead of table 3)

Line 257: amounted to 300.50 plants (instead of amounted to 300.50 ± 44.15 plants). Do the same for the results below

Line 271: In figure 3 I think that will be better if you chose different colors to the different graph columns, and the add an legend with which color correspond, because is difficult to understand which is writing below graph columns

Line 293: In Table 4 the units can be like: Humidity (%) (instead of Humidity, %)

Line 301: 710 g/L (instead of 710 g/l). Please, do the same in all paper

Line 327: Acreage (ha) (instead of Acreage, ha). Please, do the same in all Table 5

Line 449 – 477: The conclusion is too long, please reduce the text and focus in the most important results of this study.

Author Response

Thank you very much for taking the time to review this manuscript. 

Dear reviewer, we thank you for your interest and detailed analysis of our scientific article. We have tried to take into account your recommendations and improved the content of the publication.

Regarding your question about sapropel extract and saprepel, we explain the following: Sapropelis the bottomsediments of lakes. Sapropel extract is a product created on the basis of bottom sediments.

To the question about the technology of production of sapropel extract, we explain the following: The resulting aqueous and alcoholic solutions were distilled on a rotary evaporator after extraction until the alcohol was completely removed. The dry residue after alcohol removal was combined with an aqueous solution to obtain the final sapropel product.

We have taken into account your comments on writing units of measurement and made adjustments to the text.

Improved the text thanks to your recommendations.

We have changed Figure 3 in accordance with your recommendations.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors have prepared interesting and relevant material. Currently, the introduction of organic fertilizers is one of the ways to restore fertility. The introduction of sapropel, in fact, returns to the soil biogenic elements that are carried out from the fields with precipitation and when snow melts and accumulate in bottom sediments. Despite the expansion of use, publications on this issue are insufficient. In various countries, there are both facts about the obstacle to the introduction of organic farming and support measures. Currently, sapropel mining is being formed as an industry, but the regulations for mining, raw material quality parameters, mining conditions, processing and transportation. In a number of countries, before mining, damage to aquatic biological resources is calculated, since the food supply of hydrobionts is lost, and the stirring up of bottom sediments affects phytoplankton and zooplankton. With round-the-clock sapropel mining, complaints from residents are also possible. The author should also indicate the effective application rate and the possible economic effect, taking into account transportation costs and application methods.

Author Response

Dear reviewer, thank you for your interest and attention to our scientific article. Indeed, irrational extraction of bottom sediments can lead to disruption of the stability of aquatic ecosystems and harm biological diversity. However, about 70% of the reservoirs of the North Kazakhstan region are subject to eutrophication processes. They are overgrown with tough surface vegetation. In this regard, the biological diversity of aquatic ecosystems decreases, the level of freely dissolved oxygen in the water decreases, which in turn leads to the death of aquatic organisms in winter, including valuable fish species. The proposed extraction method is not aimed at industrial extraction, since 1 kg of bottom sediments is used to produce 1 liter of working solution. In addition, the proposed method of using bottom sediments is aimed at rational and sustainable extraction. Since it does not involve the introduction of bottom sediments into the soil in pure form, but implies the production of a liquid fraction and its use at the stage of pre-sowing seed treatment, as well as in foliar treatment during the vegetation of plants. The recommended consumption rate of saproline is 1 liter per 16 kg of seeds. The seeding rate of wheat seeds in the conditions of the experimental region is 160 kg/ha. This method of obtaining and applying sapropel fertilizer has been filed for patenting and is undergoing an examination procedure.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Accept in present form

Author Response

Dear reviewer, thank you for your interest and attention to our scientific article.