A Mixed Model Analysis of a Fertilizer Experiment on Oil Palm in Nigeria

Abstract

Mixed model analysis procedure was used to analyze the effect of fertilizer application on the Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) yield of oil palm. This was with a view to achieve the most appropriate and a robust model for analyzing yield response for fertilizer application in oil palm. In this study, a mixed model analysis procedure was used to analyze yield data obtained from a fertilizer trial conducted between 1997 and 2005. In mixed effect model, replicates and years were used as block. In contrast the fixed effect ANOVA model usually lumped up replicates and years as a random error. In the model replicates were used as block with no block interaction, replicates as block with allowance for block-fertilizer interaction, years as block with allowance for block-fertilizer interaction, and years and replicates as block with allowance for year fertilizer and replicate-fertilizer interaction. Mixed model theory was also used to provide the explicit description of the design matrices in the models. Also, hypotheses relevant to each model were formulated and used to test for specific effects in the models such as, fixed part, random part and interacting parts using appropriate error terms as determined by the derived Expected Mean Squares (EMS). The results revealed that at 5% significant level (p < 0.05), the combination of Potassium (K) at 3.5 kg and magnesium (Mg) at 1.7 kg was sufficient for bunch yield of oil palm as the effect of fertilizer application was significant in the interactions of K and Mg due to treatment.