Effects of Faba Bean Strip Cropping in an Outdoor Organic Tomato System on Soil Nutrient Availability, Production, and N Budget under Different Fertilizations

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This is US English - if acceptable for Europe this is ok, otherwise EU English is better

Your title: why not call it Effect of faba bean strip cropping in outdoor organic tomato production... as this was the strategy you tested. This was a certified organic system and not only fertilisers from organic not-mineral form

In abstract add one further sentence on nodule result, you present this in figure 8 (very interesting!) but what is the conclusion? It is here hidden this needs also be in abstract - nutrient use efficiency with legumes is important it shows certified organic SC can produce same yield with potentially lower external inputs of P fertilser: "It is noticeable that in 2018 Rhizobia nodules of faba bean roots, particularly under SC, were partially covered by mycorrhizal hyphal mycelium, confirming the contemporary rhizobial endophytic colonization of the legume and the symbiotic mycelium development on its roots (Figure 8. c-d) This synergistic effect played by rhizobia and mycorrhizal fungi in faba bean evidently increased soil P mobilization and promoted the following mycorrhization of tomato, 

Remove text like "Please add: "  Please read all once more to make sure no minor issues are in

A picture with the strip and trial design would really help the reader - please add. A little map of where the site is in Italy would help

Your graphs with very wide bars do not add any information, even the colour is not needed, consider to condense the information and add more on location, trail design etc. like this you make it easier for your reader.

Like your final sentence: "Finally, introducing faba bean in tomato production, especially as SC, holds potential to improve the productive and environmental performance in Mediterranean systems but 483 careful monitoring of nutrient flows is needed to fully exploit its potential. "

I think this is also true for tomato outside Mediterranean systems too, so the impact of the research is not restricted to this climate zone only.

Author Response

Thank you for taking the time to review our paper. Kindly see the attachment for further details

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The study is interesting and valuable since it addresses an important issue of sustainable tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation in the Mediterranean organic farming sector in Italy – the main tomato producer and supplier in Europe. The productive and environmental performance of organic horticulture was discussed, including its impact on the soil environment.

The research methodology is appropriate, the experiment was properly designed and described in sufficient detail, including the characteristics of soil and climate conditions; agronomic conditions (tomato cropping systems - Vicia faba L. grown as a preceding crop and in strip cropping); organic fertilization strategies (animal manure and vegetable compost) and mineral fertilization in the control treatment (faba bean residues).

Agronomic evaluation of N and P uptake, tomato fresh yield, N and P in yield, mean fruit weight, dry matter yield and sugar accumulation was performed. Soil environment monitoring was also carried out (total organic carbon in soil, total inorganic-N, nitrate-N, available-P and mycorrhizal colonization of tomato and faba bean roots)

The results are clearly presented (including the statistical significance of research findings), and they provide new information on the potential improvements in the performance of organic tomato cropping systems in view of the growing demand for organic tomatoes, optimization of organic fertilization strategies and crop diversification (temporal – crop rotation and spatial). An in-depth discussion of the results is based upon carefully selected, 54 references.

My comments are presented below.

Final decision: Acceptance after minor corrections

Line 160 Krom (1980) and Henriksen and Selmer-Olsen (1970) - none in References

Fig. 1 it is september it should be: September

Fig. 2 it is : P (kg/ha) it should be: P (kg ha^-1)

Fig. 3 it is: dry yield (t/ha) it should be: dry yield (t ha^-1)

Fig. 4a,b. it is: ...(mg/kg) it should be: ...(mg kg^-1)

Fig. 5a,b  it is: (kg/ha) it should be: (kg ha^-1)

Fig. 6 it is P (mg/kg) it should be: P (mg kg^-1)

Author Response

Thank you for your careful reading of the manuscript and your constructive remarks. We have taken the comments on board to improve and clarify the manuscript. Kindly find attached a detailed point-by-point response to all comments. 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

Although the use of individual elements has already been analyzed by other researchers and might seem not very innovative, the research participants proposed an evaluation of a strategy combining the cropping system and fertilization in plant cultivation. Such research is especially important in the practice of vegetable growing. Generally it is original work.

Tittle. Tittle could be change. I think that the title "crop diversification strategies" is too general and suggests a wide range of research and does not inform the reader about the subject of the research.

Introduction. Although the topics covered in the research were used in the review, I believe that from line 29, at least to line 57, the information presented to all is known and not very important for the research topic.

Materials and methods. Chapter written with sufficient accuracy. Well and clearly indicated: field experimental design, analytical methods for the studied traits and applied statistical analysis. 

Results. Results presented in a clear and precise with the interpretation of the results obtained in this study

Weakness: Introduction.

Strengths: Materials and methods. Chapter written with sufficient accuracy. Well and clearly indicated: field experimental design, analytical methods for the studied traits and applied statistical analysis. 

Suggestions for improvement

-        Please check that you are using the correct tables. For example, line 234 should be table 3 and there is table 2, and the same line 282

-        Table 2,3  - There is no development of abbreviations, eg CS, Fert

-        Figure 4. In the title, under the figure, there is no knowledge of what the content of N is measured in (soil?)

-        Figures. The correct entries for kg ha^-1 should be used instead of kg/ha

-        Figures. Please consider using a more precise scale, e.g. figure 2

Figure 2 and 3. If the interaction of CS x year is shown in Figure 2.3, I think that the notation of homogeneous groups is incorrect

Author Response

Thank you for taking the time to review our paper. Kindly see the attachment for further details

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf