Question

An agricultural station is testing the yields for six different varieties of seed corn. The station has four large fields available, located in four distinctly different parts of the county. The agricultural researchers consider the climatic and soil conditions in the four parts of the county as being quite different, but are reasonably confident that the conditions within each field are fairly similar throughout. The researchers divide each field into six sections and then randomly assign one variety of corn seed to each section in that field. This procedure is done for each field. At the end of the growing season, the corn will be harvested, and the yield (measured in tons per acre) will be compared. Which one of the following statements about the design is correct?

a. This is an observational study because the researchers are watching the corn grow.

b. This a randomized block design with fields as blocks and seed types as treatments.

c. This is a randomized block design with seed types as blocks and fields as treatments.

d. This is a completely randomized design because the six seed types were randomly assigned to the four fields.

e. This is a completely randomized design with$24$treatments—$6$ seed types and $4$ fields.

Short answer

The correct option is (b) this is randomized block design with field as blocks and seed types as treatments.

Step-by-step solution

Given Information

We have to determine the correct statement.

Simplification

Corn has a variety of treatments given to it, as well as varietals. As a result, the study is an experiment rather than an observational study. Aside from that, the climate and soil conditions have an impact on a variety of fields. All of them are then used as blocks, resulting in randomized block experiments.

Hence, the correct option is (b) this is randomized block design with field as blocks and seed types as treatments