Spatial Rice Yield Estimation Using Multiple Linear Regression Analysis, Semi-Physical Approach and Assimilating SAR Satellite Derived Products with DSSAT Crop Simulation Model
, Vellingiri Geethalakshmi 1, R. Tamilmounika 2, N. S. Sudarmanian 2, Ragunath Kaliaperumal 1, Kumaraperumal Ramalingam 2, A. P. Sivamurugan 1, Kancheti Mrunalini 1, Manoj Kumar Yadav 3 and Emma D. Quicho 4Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This is a meaningful study, satellite-based remote sensing offers a suitable and cost-effective technique for regional- and national-scale crop monitoring. This article is well-written and methods contain sufficient data. However, the conclusions need to be further summarized in detail.
Author Response
Necessary summaries were added in the conclusions as suggested by the reviewer.
Reviewer 2 Report
The article is devoted to the important topic of ensuring the food security of India, the country with the largest population in the world. Therefore, the relevance of the article is not in doubt. The work is based on the use of modern satellite methods of remote sensing of the earth, modeling methods and statistical methods to estimate the yield of rice. The Introduction provides a detailed overview of the current literature on the subject of the work. The reviewer can offer a number of questions and recommendations for improving this article:
1. In section 2.1, it was useful to present examples of satellite images for mapping rice fields and the sequence of stages of their processing and analysis for a better understanding of the research progress.
2. Sections 2.2-2.4 are described in too much detail and need to be reasonably shortened. So, for example, block diagrams partially duplicate the description in the text. Perhaps from these schemes it is worth making one conceptual more general.
3. In fig. 5 it is necessary to indicate the dates on the X scale and indicate in the title that each curve is a daily estimate
4. Line 224 refers to fig. 6, which is not included in the article.
5. Table 1 shows only the area for rice cultivation. And what varieties were grown and their ratio in the indicated areas? This is important to present in Table 1.
6. Line 241 reference to fig. 7, which is not included in the article.
7. Line 255 reference to fig. 8, which is not included in the article.
8. Line 258 reference to fig. 9, which is not included in the article.
9. Line 265 reference to fig. 10, which is not included in the article.
10. Line 271 reference to fig. 11, which is not included in the article.
11. In the table. 2 it is useful to note which of the methods gives the most accurate forecast with real data.
12. Line 281 reference to fig. 12, which is not included in the article.
13. Line 286 reference to fig. 14, which is not included in the article.
14. Line 293 reference to fig. 15, which is not included in the article.
15. Line 305 reference to fig. 16, which is not included in the article.
16. In table 3, it is necessary to provide in a footnote the decoding of abbreviations and their dimension.
17. Is the table on line 325 a continuation of table 3?
18. In the subscript to the table, check the correctness of the degrees in the indices.
19. Line 343 reference to fig. 17, which is not included in the article.
20. In section 3.6, in addition to comparing methods, it is important to show varietal differences and which varieties produce the highest yield.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors corrected all the suggested comments. The necessary figures have been added (they were not in the first version of the article). The graphic material is illustrative and significantly improves the understanding of the work. Reduced duplicate content. Some data have been revised. The article is very interesting and has ample opportunities for the practical use of the results.
