PONE-D-21-27855Eco-Friendly Soil Amendments Improve Growth, Antioxidant Activities and Root Colonization in Lingrain (Linum Usitatissimum L.) Under Drought ConditionsPLOS ONE

Dear Dr. Arminia,

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Reviewer comments:

Reviewer #1: In the manuscript PONE-D-21-27855, the authors investigated Eco-Friendly Soil Amendments Improve Growth, Antioxidant Activities and Root Colonization in Lingrain (Linum Usitatissimum L.) Under Drought Conditions. This work seems interesting, but there are some shortcomings in the manuscript. The authors should revise the complete manuscript in the light of suggested comments.

Abstract: For abbreviation like AMF, when describing the term first time, write complete word and abbreviation in brackets, and then onwards the abbreviation.

Introduction: A lot of research already conducted on green manure, vermicompost and mycorrhiza. Therefore, properly justify your work.

Materials and methods: According to authors, factorial study (three factors) was conducted. How many total plots were used in this experiment?

What standard was used for proline measurement? Please explain to the readers.

Discussion: In this section, the authors should explain the mode of action of green manures and vermicompost on enhancing the drought tolerance.

Conclusion: In the conclusion, no needs to repeat the results. It should be concise and comprehensive.

Typographic and syntax corrections in the text need careful attention of the authors.

Reviewer #2: Dear Authors

Manuscript "Eco-Friendly Soil Amendments Improve Growth, Antioxidant Activities and Root

Colonization in Lingrain (Linum Usitatissimum L.) Under Drought Conditions" was received for evaluation. It was a well planned experiment but there are some comments for improvement.

English need to be thoroughly improved.

Materials and methods section needs improvement. Design mentioned in this section is different from that mentioned in abstract.

Cross check statistical analysis, particularly PLSD test results for several traits mentioned in the attached file.

Discussion needs drastic change and there are some suggestions in the attached file.

Conclusion must be brief

It will be more beneficial if authors provide % change due to treatments compared to control instead of repeating same results in the discussion section.

Reviewer #3: General Comments:

Overall, the manuscript presented lot of data and parameters studies during the experiment, but analytical methods section and results section are key areas of concern in this manuscript. The author needs a through revision/redrafting of methodology and results section to make it reader friendly and self-explanatory. Lot of grammatical errors are frequently spotted in the manuscript and whole article needs proof reading before submission.

Specific Comments:

Abstract:

Abstract of manuscript is not clear for readers, it reflects the confusion in elaboration of factors and treatments as treatments are not clear. Line no 29 reflects green manure with dual fertilizer while dual fertilizer treatment is not elaborated in abstract (do you mean by vermicompost and green manure?). The abstract must be very clear and self-explanatory for the reader.

Line No. 21, green manure for ingrain plants, do you mean lingrain? Its typing error or you are using ingrain as verb. You can use either ingrain or plant, cant use ingrain plants as it is repetition error. If you are intended to use ‘lingrain’ plant then you can mention as lingrain plant.

Line No. 23, first factor was green manure (without green manure and Trifolium pratense) its confusing for the reader, its with green manure and indicating without green manure. Please make it very specific and self-explanatory for the readers

Introduction:

Line no 43. Use word greenhouse gases rather gas. As multiple gases contribute in greenhouse effect.

Line no 54, what do you mean by increasing soil structure? How organic fertilizers increase soil structure. Please reconsider such statements.

Line No. 55 and 56, using nutrients from organic sources help maintain organic matter…… Please rephrase the statement may be like use of organic sources for enhance nutrients supply may help maintain organic matter. Your statement reflects that nutrient help maintain organic matter which is ambiguous.

Line No. 66, suggest to write as Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in omnipresent in land dwelling……..

Line No 77, again using ingrain, its intentional or typing mistake?

Material and Methods:

The material is methods sections is not uniformly drafted. Some analytical methods only reference is quoted while some methods are explained briefly. You need to have harmonized pattern for whole section and its recommended to have briefly drafted analytical procedures that were adopted rather reference only.

Line No. 122, lingrain grain were achieved from…. Does it make sense? Please rephrase may be like lingrain seeds were collected from….

Results and Discussion:

Results are elaborated in a very confusing way, you need to thoroughly revisit and redraft the results sections in specific and clear way that may attract the reader attention. Your results presentation is not understandable for someone who don’t know about your experiment.

Line no 226, colonization of what? its AMF colonization with roots?

Line no 227, sole and dual usage of mycorrhizae…. What is this? Its not explained anywhere in methodology or experimental design.

Line No 227, Sole and dual usage of mycorrhiza and vermicompost (Fv, Fm, and Fm+v) would lead to more colonization in comparison with non-fertilized treatment… Its an assumption or presenting result, it presenting result then it must be is past tense rather future tense.

Line no 229, green manure usage increased colonization in all fertilizer treatments….. you are presenting results here please make it very specific, colonization of what and where? May be AMF colonization with lingrain roots??

Line No. 235, single and dual use of vermicompost… do you mean by combined use of vermicompost and mycorrhizae?? Dual use is not making sense here. You need to rephrase..

Line No. 236, again using future tense in presenting the results, these are not assumption.. please use past tense what was done and what was the result.

Line 242, you are presenting the comparison of year one and year two while in above parameters you have presented the comparison of treatments with control and within treatments. I think you need to have comparison of treatment and with control and if comparing the results of two year then explain for all parameters rather any single parameter.

Line No. 245, On the other hand, they all produced more leaf K than the control treatment? What do you mean by they all?? Explain it properly.

Line No. 275, At this stage, Water limitation significantly increased.

What does it mean? What do you mean by at this stage? Which stage? Water limitation significantly increased, what was increased? You must present the results in very systematic way rather making vague statements.. this does not make sense.

Line No. 282, Application solo? What is this application.

Line No. 307, ingrain or lingrain??

Line No. 320, what is fertilizer treatment?? Not explained anywhere.

Line No. 365, again future tense in results presentation, these are result not assumptions. Present results like you concrete finding rather ambiguous statements

Conclusion:

This section is quite long than required. Same repetition of results in conclusion. Last concluding statement is good. You need to cut it short.

**********

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: PONE-D-21-27855-reviewed file.pdf

Eco-Friendly Soil Amendments Improve Growth, Antioxidant Activities and Root Colonization in Lingrain (Linum Usitatissimum L.) Under Drought Conditions

PONE-D-21-27855R1

Dear Dr. Arminia,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

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Kind regards,

Sajid Ali

Academic Editor

PLOS ONE

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer #1: In the revised manuscript, Eco-friendly soil amendments improve growth, antioxidant activities and root colonization in lingrain (Linum Usitatissimum L.) under drought conditions (PONE-D-21-27855R1), the authors mostly incorporated the suggestions. Now, the manuscript could be considered for publication.

Reviewer #3: I appreciate the significant effort made by the author to revise the manuscript. Authors have address all the comments and correction very nicely thus the paper can be considered for publication