Methods of reducing crop variation in apple trials
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1976
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Abstract
Data are examined from an apple trial over a period of sixteen years during which the trees received no differential treatments. Crops for a varying number of years were accumulated in order to determine how long a period is needed to obtain a low coefficient of variation. Four years were better than two, but six years gave little advantage over four. Covariance by previous crops was useful, two years' crop being as good as four years' crop. Adjustment by trunk girth was less successful but could be recommended in conjunction with previous crop. Number of fruits was a more variable record than crop weight. Removing positional variation by analysis of variance did not have a major effect in reducing variation. Where space is available multi-tree plots proved effective since adjacent tree crops are not highly correlated, but covariance adjustment of multi-tree plots was not successful.
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Journal of Horticultural Science (1976) 51, 533-544