The Application of Growth Analysis to Structured Experimental Designs and a New Procedure for Estimating Unit Leaf Rate and its Variance

Abstract

A method is presented for estimating relative growth rates and other growth parameters using data from randomized block designs, prior to conventional or functional growth analysis. This method can be extended to other experimental designs where an additive model is applicable. The effects of this approach are illustrated using the most commonly derived growth quantities, relative growth rate, leaf area ratio and unit leaf rate (net assimilation rate), from an extensive data set available for the growth of the biennial Arctium tomentosum. Comparisons are made between different growth analytical techniques and a new procedure for determining unit leaf rate, with a rigorous statistical treatment, is presented for the particular case when the logarithms of the variates for leaf area and total dry weight are linearly related.