Efficiency of Glasshouse Pot Experiments Rotating versus Stationary Benches

Pot cultures of rice (Oryza sativa L., var. Colusa) in flooded soil were used to measure comparative uniformity of growth where mutual shading was the primary source of variation. Data were analyzed according to various divisions of each layout into blocks, sections, and replicate pots to compare statistical efficiencies.Experiments on stationary benches were subject to large border effects that were not suitably compensated for by any of the systems of replication tested. On the turntable, which carried 24 pots in single file, all plans of analysis tested were acceptable and resulted in coefficients of variability ranging from 2.5 to 4.5%.Consideration of these results, along with the cost of increased replication and the fact that use of a turntable minimizes the effects of environmental variability inherent in greenhouses, leads to the conclusion that the turntable provides more efficient use of greenhouse space for precision experiments than do stationary benches.