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We may need to carry out experiments with orchids to estabish facts about optimum growing conditions.
Dry Weight and other mass measurements are the usual method employed in plant experiments, but not with orchids.
Quantitative Sampling is best for orchids.
Counting the number of shoots, number of leaves, number of flower spikes. Measuring the lengths of leaves and shoots. Relatives measures, where initial plant size is measured, and subsequent sampling provides relative increases (or otherwise!).
Analysis of results
Repeatability (tell everything, hide nothing!) Defined limits of experiments (know the boundaries)
Analysis of results
Repeatability (tell everything, hide nothing!) Defined limits of experiments (know the boundaries)
Initial steps
A Null Hypothesis, for example, that treatments have no measurable effects on the plants. A Control treatment, an example is that of no treatment at all. Replication, using as many different samples (plants) in an experiment as possible. Randomization, to reduce the effects of external variables such as light, heat, humidity, draughts.
Latin Squares.
A
D C B
D
C B A
C
B A D
B
A D C A randomized square, no letters repeated in either rows or columns.
Graeco-Latin Squares.
A 5 x 5 Greaco-Latin Square :A C D E C E A B B D E A A randomised square, no Greek or Latin Letters repeated in either rows or columns, and no combinations are repeated or absent. Each Latin letter can represent a level of one nutient. Each Greek letter can represent a level of one growth supplement
D A B C
E B C D
A 117 60 52 229
C (result) 51 6 0 57
66
52
Shoot 3 Total
286
The first is to use the overall mean from the remaining good values, and the second is to estimate a missing value from its component contributing parts.
The second method is slightly more accurate in that it takes in to consideration the variability of each of the component contributions to the specific cell in the design for which the data is missing.
The next slide shows the formula.
yijkl = + k + l + i + j + ijkl
Where i,j,k,l are each 1 to 5 in this example.
y ijkl
= the observation in the i th row, the j th column, and receiving the k th Latin treatment and the l th Greek treatment.
row ,
column.
In the final analysis, the Error Degrees of Freedom have to be reduced by one for each missing value.
This method is more accurate than just using the overall mean, but for large variance, a Bias may have to be subtracted from the Error Sum of Squares. This is beyond the scope of this presentation.
The Latin component of the design was 5 levels of nutrients where each level was as follows :A B C D E No nutrient. 1.25 ml/litre, corresponding to half recommended strength. 2.5 ml/litre, corresponding to recommended normal strength. 5 ml/litre, double strength. 10 ml/litre, quadruple strength.
The formulation of the nutrient mix is 1.8:1.2:2.1, with additional micro-elements :% w/v Nitrogen, in the form of soluble Nitrates 1.83 Phosphorous pentoxide, soluble 1.19 Potassium oxide 2.15 Calcium oxide 1.72 Copper chelated by EDTA 0.002 Iron chelated by EDTA 0.040 Manganese chelated by EDTA 0.010 Zinc chelated by EDTA 0.0025
(No Urea or Ammonia in this formulation)
This is similar to Growth Technology Orchid Focus Grow, but without supplements.
The Greek component of the design was 5 levels of growth supplements where each level was as follows : No supplement. 3.75 ml/litre, corresponding to half recommended strength. 7.5 ml/litre, corresponding to recommended normal strength. 15 ml/litre, double strength. 30 ml/litre, quadruple strength.
The formulation of the supplement mix is :Humic Acid, in the form of soluble salts Fulvic Acid, in the form of soluble salts 53% 17%
This is diluted in steps to form a solution of 7.5 ml/litre For the recommended normal strength. This represents a solution of 0.0075% supplements per litre.
These supplements are part of Growth Technology Orchid Focus Grow and Bloom.
Disadvantages
Requires n2 combinations of treatments, in these examples, where n=5, Each plant requires a different mix of nutrients and growth supplements.
Finding n2 similar plants may be a problem! The design provides no analysis of interactions. As all combinations are represented in each in only one plant, there is no room for replication, and interactions must be analyzed Using a Randomized Block design. A small design as described here does not allow for a large number of missing values. Enlarging a Graeco-Latin square requires stepping up to a 7 X 7 design, as Euler's Conjecture suggested that 4n+2 squares do not exist, so a 6 X 6 is not possible.
Advantages
The design provides a good range of options for any form of treatments that will be applied to the plants.
Recording results is not too onerous. A simple analysis is provided for the design in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, with graphical displays of results, and this can be copied and reused. Computation of up to 2 missing values is possible without the need to redesign. Space required to carry out an experiment is not too large, even for an Amateur or hobby grower. The costs of treatments is not too large for this design, and yet it copes with variable conditions in a compact space. The design is repeatable, so that another independent researcher can test the results.
Further nutrient experiments e.g. the composition of the most successful nutrients. Composts, and their effects on quality of orchids. Types of pots, plastic, terra-cotta, clear, opaque, open mesh etc. Growth supplements, which to use for best results? Plant hormones, for growth, and for flower. Repeat experiments for different orchids.