The Effects of Planting Date and Tillage Practice on Growth and Yield of Maize and Soybean in Rotation with Winter Onion

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper presents some results on the effect of planting time on the growth and yield of maize and soybean.

The authors investigated both planting dates and tillage but the later one is missing in the title. Therefore, the title is misleading and the title is too ambitious.

Keywords should not be matched with title.

Introduction is too long which must be concise. Also, mention the implication of including onion in the rotation.

In the result section, 3.1 is not your observed results. So, this should be excluded or transfer the data as supplementary file.

Discussion is very poor and long. The authors failed to discuss the implication of onion crop in this intervention.

Writing quality is poor. There are plenty of formatting issues. e.g. t/ha should be t ha-1. Please use standard units and symbols.

Many of the references are old. Please cite recent and relevant references.

Language quality should be improved.

Overall, it is a very long article. Please reduce it significantly.

Author Response

Thank you for your comments answer is attached. 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

This is an interesting study upon “Planting Date is a Key Factor for Growth and Yield of Maize and Soybean in Rotation with Winter Onion”and the authors have collected a unique dataset using the cutting-edge methodology. The paper is generally well written and structured. However, in my opinion, the paper has some shortcomings in regards to some data analyses and text, and I feel this unique dataset has not been utilized to its full extent. Below I have provided numerous remarks on the text as it is often vague and long-winded. In several instances, I also suggested citing more relevant and recent literature. Furthermore, I have made line by line additional suggestions for more in-depth analyses of the data. Key critical points are:-

Title: Please change the title with “Planting Date as a Key Factor Influencing the Growth and Yield of Maize and Soybean in Rotation with Winter Onion”

Abstract

Please follow the below-mentioned comments to improve the quality of the paper:-

Line No.19: Replace the word “effect” with “effects”

Line No.22: Use the word “crops” instead of “crop”

Line No. 25: Change the words “yield was” with “yields were”

Line No.27: Use the word “additionally” instead of “further”

Keywords

Line No. 31: Remove the words planting date, maize, and soybean as they are mentioned in Title

Introduction

Line No. 42: Replace the word “consequence” with “results in the”

Line No. 47: Change human to humans

Line No. 50: Use article a before the word unique

Line No. 51, 52: Correct the word “soy source” to “soy sauce”

Line No. 59: Use article a before the word high

Line No. 66: Use the word from after harvested; Replace “late May to early June following year” to “late May to early June of the following year”

Line No. 67: Remove comma after onion harvest

Line No. 78: Remove the word other

Line No. 85: Replace “; however” with. “However”

Line No. 93: Use the article “the” before the word physical

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Line 570, 571: The objectives do not match the ones mentioned in the introduction

Conclusion

References

Try to use the latest references.

Enrich content with the latest references

Similarly, I will suggest taking help from any English native speaker for the improvement of English write-up, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. And please provide a certificate from the agency or person for the same.

Keeping in view all the above, after thorough consideration, I will suggest major revisions.

Author Response

Thank you for your comments. The answer is attached. 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors have revised the manuscript. However, I am wondering why this paper is submitted to agronomy as onion is not an agronomic crop.

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Authors

I am satisfied with all the changes made.