Optimum size and shape of plots under colocasia (Colocasia esculent A L.)

Abstract

A uniformity trial on colocasia was conducted at the experimental field of the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala during April-September, 1984. At the time of harvest the observations regarding the yield characteristics were recorded. From the study of the size and shape of the plot it was found that an increase in plot size in either direction decreased the coefficient of variation. For a given size of the plot, the best shape was that having more number of rows than columns. The heterogeneity coefficient b in the Smith's equation for yield was 0.6057. The optimum plot size found out by maximum curvature method and by modified maximum curvature method was approximately 3 m2. When the cost of experimentation was considered, a plot size of 1.636 m2 was found optimum for conducting experiments with colocasia.