The Ecophysiological Determinants of Tuber Yield in Response to Potato Genotype and Nitrogen Availability

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The manuscript presents the results of two experiments on potato yield influenced by nitrogen fertilization.

I recommend this paper to be accepted after moderate revisions. The main aspects that could improve the quality of the manuscript are:

1) Improve the use of PCA by using N fertilization as one of the variables;

2) Improve the statistical analysis by inserting an hierarchical cluster plot, it will provide valuable information for the discussion.

Some further aspects to be improved are listed bellow:

Line 15 - "Treatments were applied in the factorial...

Keywords - PCA is a statistical method, it shouldn't be included in the keywords

Line 101 - remove "respectively" if the amount of seeds per hectare is the same

Line 121 - what does AAEE stands for?

Line 136 - include R package citation

Line 143 - include R package "factoextra" citation

Line 144 - include R package "statgenGxE" citation

Figure 1 - improve plot legend for line color

Line 233 - I recommend the authors to avoid the use of the phrase "this study provides the first assessment of the association", instead the authors could add "To our knowledge" or "As far as we know" at the beginning of the phrase.

Quality of English is good, some small changes are included in the suggestions for improvement of the manuscript.

Author Response

"Please see the attachment." 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The article has scientific merit and originality, but changes are needed to improve reader understanding.

The recommendations in the document must be made, for the acceptance of the article.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

"Please see the attachment." 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf