ISHS Acta Horticulturae 707: VII International Symposium on Modelling in Fruit Research and Orchard Management
UNBIASED ESTIMATOR FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FLOWERS ON A TREE |
| Authors: | D. Wulfsohn, M. Maletti, T.B. Toldam-Andersen |
| Keywords: | biological variance, error variance, fractionator, Malus × domestica, stereology, systematic sampling |
| Abstract:
We describe an unbiased sampling procedure to estimate the total number of flowers on a tree or group of trees. The method is based upon an application of nested cluster sampling called the ‘fractionator’ by stereologists. The procedure is illustrated for Malus × domestica Borkh. (apple). To evaluate the efficiency of the estimator, a resampling experiment was carried out on three young apple trees. Results are compared with predictions from single samples using two previously published models. We also illustrate the estimation of the biological variance of a group of trees. Finally, we discuss sources of estimator variance and ways to optimize the sampling strategy. | |
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