Yield Gaps of Major Cereal and Grain Legume Crops in Ethiopia: A Review
, Ndegwa Henry Maina 1, Waga Mazengia Dersseh 4, Bantalem Zeleke 4 and Frederick L. Stoddard 2
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Cereal-legume intercropping and crop rotation practices increase yield while reducing severity of pests and the need for application of synthetic fertilizers. How?
I did not see the statistics of the figures.
Author should extend the conclusion section and add the future research directions.
Author should give more details that what they have summarized in this review in the last para of the introduction.
In the first paragraph of the introduction, author need to clearly mention the main problem.
Author Response
Reviewer: Cereal-legume intercropping and crop rotation practices increase yield while reducing severity of pests and the need for application of synthetic fertilizers. How?
Answer: we ask the reviewer to see sub-section 3.6 Crop rotation and intercropping. This have been covered in detail in lines between 481 to 515.
Reviewer:I did not see the statistics of the figures.
Answer: now we have supplemented the data indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 with new additional statistical table indicating annual increases and regression values in Supplemental table 1.
Reviewer: Author should extend the conclusion section and add the future research directions.
Answer: this has been included at the end of the conclusion section as a separate paragraph.
Reviewer: Author should give more details that what they have summarized in this review in the last para of the introduction.
Answer: these have been summarized between lines of 71 and 89.
Reviewer: In the first paragraph of the introduction, author need to clearly mention the main problem.
Answer: now problem statement is clearly indicated in the first paragraph of the introduction.
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript titled “Yield gaps of major cereal and grain legume crops in Ethiopia: A review” describes the causes of yield gaps in Ethiopia for major cereal and legume crops and suggests possible solutions to reduce those gaps.
The review is well organized and written and deserves publication in Agronomy.
The only suggestion I can give to the authors is that the main solutions pinpointed to reduce the yield gaps (proper application of fertilizers and use of improved varieties) refer to the first green revolution and can cause several environmental problems especially in drought prone environments.
I suggest to mention also the novel fertilization approaches that recently proved to be efficient for both yield and grain quality in north Africa (see different papers published recently also in this journal).
Author Response
The manuscript titled “Yield gaps of major cereal and grain legume crops in Ethiopia: A review” describes the causes of yield gaps in Ethiopia for major cereal and legume crops and suggests possible solutions to reduce those gaps.
The review is well organized and written and deserves publication in Agronomy.
The only suggestion I can give to the authors is that the main solutions pinpointed to reduce the yield gaps (proper application of fertilizers and use of improved varieties) refer to the first green revolution and can cause several environmental problems especially in drought prone environments.
I suggest to mention also the novel fertilization approaches that recently proved to be efficient for both yield and grain quality in north Africa (see different papers published recently also in this journal).
Answer: now we have included or suggested the use of integrated soil fertility management system that may address the optimal use of nutrients. The approach is optimal use of inorganic fertilizers, organic inputs and improved germplasm and application of improved agronomic practices.
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The additions made do not meet the requirements.
it is necessary to integrate, also with bibliographical references, the new possibilities offered by genetic improvement and fertilization.
Also in this same journal a series of scientific articles have recently been published on the new possibilities of high sustainable fertilization, but no reference appears in this manuscript.
The conclusions therefore appear limited and not suitable for a review
Author Response
Reviewer 2 (second review)
Reviewer: The additions made do not meet the requirements.
it is necessary to integrate, also with bibliographical references, the new possibilities offered by genetic improvement and fertilization.
Also in this same journal a series of scientific articles have recently been published on the new possibilities of high sustainable fertilization, but no reference appears in this manuscript.
The conclusions therefore appear limited and not suitable for a review
Dear Reviewer, thank you for your productive suggestion and your time indeed.
Answer: in line with your suggestion, now we have included a separate paragraph at page 14, Line 582-595 and 4 new references have been included. Accordingly, we modified our conclusion at page 17, Line 820-826.
