Optimizing Grain Yield and Radiation Use Efficiency through Synergistic Applications of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizers in Super Hybrid Rice
, Jiayu Ye 1,†, Xuefen Zhong 2, Qingqing Yang 1, Matthew Tom Harrison 3, Chunhu Wang 1, Liying Huang 1, Xiaohai Tian 1, Ke Liu 1 and Yunbo Zhang 1,*
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear Editor, Dear Authors,
thank you for your appreciation of me as a reviewer.
The evaluated article is within the domain of the journal, the title adequate to the discussed issues and the manner of presentation clear and readable.
The authors correctly set and justified the purpose of the work. The methodology of the work is well described, including the method of conducting the study, sampling and analysis performed.
Graphic design correct to the issues discussed, in accordance with the current rules for the development of research material. The statistical methods used are also correct.
The only comment I have is the research methodology chapter should be much earlier, not after the discussion.
Conclusions should also be more specific, not repeated from the description of the research results. Specifically what was achieved in the experiment conducted.
The literature is well chosen and the references are properly used.
After these minor corrections recommend the paper for publication.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for your feedback and evaluation of our manuscript. We appreciate your positive comments and considerations. The comments were very helpful in improving this manuscript. We thank you for spending your precious time on this paper. We have revised the manuscript (plants-2524975) according to the comments from you.
Our point-by-point response to your comments are given below, and included in revised paper as inserts marked in red.
Comments to the Author
The only comment I have is the research methodology chapter should be much earlier, not after the discussion.
Response: We appreciate your time and insightful comments. Regarding the placement of the Materials and Methods section in our manuscript, we would like to explain the rationale behind its current positioning. For the journal Plants, it is required to place the Materials and Methods section after the Discussion, as per the specific formatting guidelines. Considering this, we have organized our manuscript accordingly, adhering to the journal’s prescribed layout. Thank you once again for your time and consideration.
Conclusions should also be more specific, not repeated from the description of the research results. Specifically what was achieved in the experiment conducted.
Response: We also appreciate your comment regarding the conclusions. We understand the importance of providing specific and concise findings from the experiment. We will ensure that the conclusions are more focused and highlight the specific achievements obtained in the conducted study.
The literature is well chosen and the references are properly used.
Response: Thank you for recognizing the relevance and appropriateness of the literature chosen and the proper use of references throughout the manuscript.
We will carefully implement the suggested changes to improve the structure and clarity of our paper. We are grateful for your expertise in reviewing our work and recommending it for publication.
Once again, we sincerely appreciate your time and effort in providing thoughtful feedback. If you have any additional suggestions or comments, please do not hesitate to let us know. Thank you for your valuable contribution.
Best regards,
Jun
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript with the title “Optimizing grain yield and radiation use efficiency through synergistic applications of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers in super hybrid rice” presents a three-year experiment on two super rice hybrids under N and K fertilization. The manuscript focuses on the radiation use efficiency, which has been less explored for these rice genotypes.
Introduction
super rice is a hybrid that benefits of heterosis effect which translates in enhanced yield. At Lines 59-61 these are called cultivars and then varieties. Please choose one unified terminology and used in consistently in all the manuscript.
Material and Method
chapter 4.1. Experimental site and biologic material
shall include also a phrase about climatic conditions at the experimental site. Here can be added Figure 1 with temperatures, because these are relevant for the experimental conditions.
chapter 4.2. Experiment design and Crop Management
I suggest authors to introduce here a figure with a graphical/illustration representation of the experimental layout, where experimental factors and variants are presented in an attractive and reader-friendly way.
Conclusions
At the end of the introduction, the authors expressed 2 objectives of their research numbered 1) and 2). Therefore, the conclusions should have two paragraphs that answer to those objectives, preferably in the same order.
Best regards.
minor syntax and grammar mistakes
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for your valuable feedback on our manuscript titled "Optimizing grain yield and radiation use efficiency through synergistic applications of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers in super hybrid rice." We greatly appreciate your attention to detail and have carefully considered your suggestions.
Our point-by-point response to your comments are given below, and included in revised paper as inserts marked in red.
Comments to the Author
Introduction: super rice is a hybrid that benefits of heterosis effect which translates in enhanced yield. At Lines 59-61 these are called cultivars and then varieties. Please choose one unified terminology and used in consistently in all the manuscript.
Response: We apologize for the inconsistency in terminology regarding super rice hybrids. We will ensure to use a unified terminology throughout the manuscript, referring to them consistently as varieties.
Material and Method
chapter 4.1. Experimental site and biologic material
shall include also a phrase about climatic conditions at the experimental site. Here can be added Figure 1 with temperatures, because these are relevant for the experimental conditions.
Response: We appreciate your suggestion to include information about the climatic conditions at the experimental site. We will incorporate a statement about the relevant climatic conditions in this section. Additionally, we agree that including Figure 1 with temperature data would provide valuable context for readers regarding the experimental conditions. However, in order to avoid duplication with the results section 2.1 Weather conditions, we only added the average temperature of the rice growing season from 2020 to 2022 in this section, and we hope that you can understand it. Thank you once again.
chapter 4.2. Experiment design and Crop Management
I suggest authors to introduce here a figure with a graphical/illustration representation of the experimental layout, where experimental factors and variants are presented in an attractive and reader-friendly way.
Response: We acknowledge your suggestion to include a graphical representation of the experimental layout. A visually appealing illustration will be included to present the experimental factors and variants in a reader-friendly manner. However, taking the cost of publication into consideration, incorporating color images would understandably necessitate additional resources. Therefore, we have made further adjustments to the description of the experimental design with the aspiration of achieving comparable results. We sincerely appreciate your understanding in this matter. Thank you. The manuscript was revised as follows: Treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with three N treatments [N90 (90 kg N ha-1), N120 (120 kg N ha-1), and N180 (180 kg N ha-1)] as the main plots, and three K treatments [K120 (120 kg K2O ha-1), K160 (160 kg K2O ha-1), and K210 (210 kg K2O ha-1)] and varieties (YLY900: Y-liangyou 900 and QYHZ: Quanyouhuazhan) as sub-subplots.
Conclusions
At the end of the introduction, the authors expressed 2 objectives of their research numbered 1) and 2). Therefore, the conclusions should have two paragraphs that answer to those objectives, preferably in the same order.
Response: We understand your point regarding the objectives outlined in the introduction. Consequently, we will structure the conclusions section to have two paragraphs addressing these objectives in the same order as presented. This will enhance the clarity and organization of the manuscript. The manuscript was revised as follows: In this experiment, we investigated the effects of varying rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the productivity of hybrid rice, including yield, biomass, harvest index, and radiation use efficiency. We also assessed the individual contributions of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation, radiation use efficiency, and harvest index to hybrid rice grain yield. Our findings indicate that (1) increasing the application rates of nitrogen and K fertilizers from a low base can have a mutually beneficial effect on both biomass production and radiation use efficiency, leading to an overall increase in rice yield. Notably, our analysis indicated that (2) radiation use efficiency played a more crucial role in driving hybrid rice yield, than intercepted photo-synthetically active radiation and harvest index. These findings highlight the im-portance of careful management of nitrogen and potassium fertilizer application to maximize productivity. Moreover, our study underscores the significance of radiation use efficiency in supporting yield, calling for further research to explore strategies for optimizing this critical aspect of hybrid rice production.
We appreciate your attention to minor syntax and grammar mistakes. We will carefully proofread the manuscript to ensure its correctness and readability.
Thank you once again for your valuable insights, which have helped improve the overall quality and presentation of our work. We sincerely appreciate your time and effort in reviewing our manuscript.
Best regards,
Jun
Reviewer 3 Report
A complete soil analysis profile should be provided
What is the reference used in soil analysis; Data analysis?
What are the characteristics and variations between the two tested rice hybrids?
What about the zinc fertilizer?
Discussion
Lines 278-281 use the following recent citations to support the sentence ‘Research suggests that applying potassium fertilizer can enhance chlorophyll content and the proportion of photosynthetic pigments in rice, thereby increasing photosynthetic efficiency and the accumulation of photosynthetic products”
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-022-00729-9
Lines 261-262, Change the sentence ‘However, applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers together can increase rice production even further’ TO BE ‘However, applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers together, in addition to micronutrients supply can increase rice production even further’ with ending the statement by the following citations
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2021.105755
Conclusions
Do not use abbreviations in the Conclusions section
Give a definite advice to the rice farmer clarifying the promising compatible practice of N*K*hybrid
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback on our manuscript. We appreciate your suggestions for improving the clarity and completeness of our work. We have carefully considered your comments and our point-by-point response to your comments are given below, and included in revised paper as inserts marked in red.
Comments to the Author
A complete soil analysis profile should be provided
Response: We apologize for the oversight regarding the complete soil analysis profile. We will ensure to provide a comprehensive soil analysis profile in the revised manuscript. This will provide a more detailed understanding of the soil characteristics and their implications on the study. Please check.
What is the reference used in soil analysis; Data analysis?
Response: We apologize for the omission of the reference used in the soil analysis and data analysis. We will include the reference and provide a clear explanation of the methodology used in the revised manuscript to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Corrected in the manuscript and marked with red font:
Lu's method was employed to determine the soil properties [40]. Specifically, the pH value was determined through the potentiometric method, the soil organic matter content was determined using the potassium dichromate-volumetric method, alka-li-hydrolysable nitrogen was determined employing the alkali hydrolysis diffusion method, soil available potassium was measured using the flame photometric method, and available phosphorus was assessed using the sodium hydrogen carbonate solu-tion-Mo-Sb anti spectrophotometric method. The soil physicochemical data mentioned in the article represents the average values of various indicators over a three-year experimental period.
Lu, R.K. Soil and Agro-Chemistry Analytical Methods; China Agricultural Science and Technology Press: Beijing, China, 2000.
What are the characteristics and variations between the two tested rice hybrids?
Response: We understand your interest in the characteristics and variations between the tested rice hybrids. Here is a description of the two varieties:
Y-liangyou 900 is a hybrid rice variety of the indica-japonica type. It has a total growth period of approximately 140 days, with a plant height of 119.7 cm and a panicle length of 27.7 cm. The number of effective panicles is 14.9×104/667m2, with an average of 238.2 grains per panicle. The grain setting rate is 78.3%, and the1000-grain weight is 24.4 g. Y-liangyou 900 has an average yield of more than 600 kg /667m2, but this variety's grain setting rate is not stable.
QYHZ is an indica-type three-line hybrid rice variety, with a total fertility period of 135.2 days. The plant height is 119.2 cm, the spike length is 25.6 cm, the number of effective panicles is 16.2×104/667m2, the total number of grains per spike is 207.3 grains, the grain setting rate is 84.5%, and the 1000-grain weight is 25.7 g.
In terms of variations, it is essential to note that different growing regions, management practices, and environmental factors can influence the specific performance and characteristics of Y-liangyou 900 and Quanyouhuazhan. Variations in yield, disease resistance, and other traits may occur in different conditions and farming systems, requiring careful selection and evaluation to optimize its full potential.
What about the zinc fertilizer?
Response: Thank you very much for your review and valuable comments on our manuscript. Regarding your reference to the effect of zinc fertilizer on rice, we understand your concern and interest very well. Zinc plays an important role in rice growth. Appropriate application of zinc fertilizer can significantly improve rice growth and yield.
Zinc is a component of many key enzymes involved in plant physiological processes such as photosynthesis, DNA synthesis and nitrogen metabolism. Its functions in rice include promoting the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, increasing root growth and development, and enhancing plant resistance to adversity.
However, in our study, we focused on investigating the effects of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on rice yield and light-energy use efficiency, and did not address zinc fertilization. Therefore, we are unable to provide specific results on the effects of Zn fertilizer on rice. If possible, we will include the effects of zinc fertilization on rice yield and radiation use efficiency in our future work. I am sure the results will be very interesting and thank you again for your valuable comments!
Discussion
Lines 278-281 use the following recent citations to support the sentence ‘Research suggests that applying potassium fertilizer can enhance chlorophyll content and the proportion of photosynthetic pigments in rice, thereby increasing photosynthetic efficiency and the accumulation of photosynthetic products”
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10343-022-00729-9
Response: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We will update the references in lines 278-281 to support the statement on the enhancement of chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency with the application of potassium fertilizer. The suggested citation will be appropriately included to strengthen our arguments.
Lines 261-262, Change the sentence ‘However, applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers together can increase rice production even further’ TO BE ‘However, applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers together, in addition to micronutrients supply can increase rice production even further’ with ending the statement by the following citations
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2021.105755
Response: We appreciate your suggestion to revise the sentence in lines 261-262. We will modify the sentence as you suggested and include the provided citation to support this claim.
Conclusions
Do not use abbreviations in the Conclusions section.
Response: We apologize for any use of abbreviations in the Conclusions section. We will ensure that all abbreviations are either spelled out or defined to maintain clarity and accessibility for readers. Corrected in the manuscript and marked with red font, please check.
Give a definite advice to the rice farmer clarifying the promising compatible practice of N*K*hybrid
Response: Thank you for your recommendation to provide a definite advice to rice farmers regarding the promising compatible practice of applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizers along with the hybrid. We will include a concise and actionable recommendation in the Conclusions section, addressing the optimal practice of N*K*hybrid. The manuscript was revised as follows: In this experiment, we investigated the effects of varying rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the productivity of hybrid rice, including yield, biomass, harvest index, and radiation use efficiency. We also assessed the individual contribu-tions of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation, radiation use efficiency, and harvest index to hybrid rice grain yield. Our findings indicate the following: increasing the application rates of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers from a low base has a mutu-ally beneficial effect on both biomass production and radiation use efficiency, resulting in an overall increase in rice yield. Importantly, our analysis indicated that: radiation use efficiency plays a more crucial role in driving hybrid rice yield than intercepted pho-tosynthetically active radiation and harvest index. These findings highlight the im-portance of carefully managing nitrogen and potassium fertilizer application to max-imize productivity. Furthermore, our study emphasizes the significance of radiation use efficiency in supporting yield, calling for further research to explore strategies for op-timizing this critical aspect of hybrid rice production.
Once again, we sincerely appreciate your valuable feedback. We will make the necessary revisions to improve the quality and comprehensiveness of our manuscript. Your guidance is highly valuable, and we thank you for your time and effort in helping us enhance our work.
Best regards,
Jun
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
