Experimental Design and Analysis for Use in Tree Improvement

This text is directed towards the preparation, design, analysis and interpretation of forestry trials – primarily for tree introduction and improvement. The structure of the book follows the sequence of thought needed by an experimenter to carry out a program of field trials for the purpose of comparing different genotypes (seedlots, provenances, families, clones etc.). Relevant statistical methodology and computing techniques are introduced at appropriate stages throughout and there are many worked examples with programs for statistical analysis. The techniques described are applicable to crops in general, as well as trees. The procedures offered are based on commercially available computer software packages for the various activities involved in field and glasshouse trials. Software packages covered in detail are: ALPHA+ – for the design and randomization of trials; DATACHAIN – for the collection and preprocessing of data; and GENSTAT – for the analysis of results.