Note on the Use of Coefficient of Variation for Data from Agricultural Factorial Experiments

W. Rybinski, M. Kozak, J. Bocianowski

Abstract: Coefficient of variation is very often used to describe variability in a variable. However, when the variable is studied in a factorial experiment, it can be used to determine pooled coefficient of variation, based on the variance of the residual term from an analysis of variance model. Such a coefficient disregards the variability that comes from the sources of variation from the experiment. Because this issue is not mentioned in any of textbooks we know, this paper aims to underline such a use of coefficient of variation, and presents it for a two-year plant breeding experiment on grass pea.

Keywords: analysis of variance; estimation; factorial experiments; variability

Date published: 2019-02-20