Split-Plot Design

In factorial experiments, sometimes some factors have to be applied to large

experimental units in addition to some requiring plots of smaller size. In such situations
split-plot designs are used. In this design, the whole experimental area is initially
divided in to a number of large plots and the different levels of one factor is applied to
these plots known as whole plot treatments or main plot treatments. The whole plots are
then subdivided in to a number of smaller plots known as sub plots and levels of the
second factor is allotted to these smaller plots known as sub plot treatments. The sub
plot treatment and main plot treatments are allotted at random to the main plots and sub
plots.

This enables to test for the effects of the sub plot treatments and interaction of the
whole plot treatments and sub plot treatments more efficiently than the main effects of
main plot treatments. That is the effect of main plot treatments are estimated with low
precision and sub plot treatment and interaction effects are estimated high precision.

The model for split –plot experiment in randomized blocks is

yijk= ; i=1,2….r, j=1.2……m, k=1,2,….s

yijk=the observation of ith replication, jth main plot and kth sub plot
=over all mean,
ri= replication effect
mj= jth main plot treatment effect,
eij=main plot error or error (a),
sk=kth sub plot treatment effect
(ms)jk= interaction effect
eijk = error component for subplot and interaction or error (b)

The ANOVA will have two parts which correspond to the main plots and sub
plots. For the main plot analysis, replication X main plot treatment table is formed.
From this two way table, sum of squares for replication, main plot treatment & error (a)
are computed.

1
Replication Main Plot treatments
1 2 …… m Total
1 y11. y12. . . . y1m y1..=R1
2 y21. y22. y2m y2..=R2
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
r yr1. yr2. . . . yrm. yr..=Rr

Total y.1. y.2. y.m. Y...=G

M1 M2 Mm

CF=

Total sum of squares for main plot X Replication table=

Replication sum of squares (SSR) =

Main Plot treatment sum of squares (SSM)=

Main plot error sum of squares, SSE(a)=Total sum of squares for MxR table –
Replication sum of squares - Main plot treatment sum of squares
For the analysis of sub plot treatments, main plot x sub plot treatment table is formed
Main Plot Sub plot
1 2 . . . s
1 y.11 y.21 y.1s y.1.
2 y.21 y.22 y.2s y.2.
.
.
.
m y.m1 y.m2 . . . y.ms y.m.
y..1 y..2 y..s
s1 s2 ss

From the table, sum of squares for subplot treatments and interaction between main
plot and sub plot treatments are computed. Error (b) sum of square is found out by
residual method.

2
Total sum of squares for table (M x S) =

Sum of squares due to sub plots, SSS =

Sum of squares due to interaction, SSE= Total sum of squares (M x S) – Main plot Sum
of squares – Sum of squares due to sub plots

TSS, Total sum of squares =

SS sub plot error (b) = Total SS -[ RSS+MSS+SSE(a)+SubSS+SSInteraction]

The ANOVA table for a split-plot design in Randomized blocks is given in the
following table

Source Degrees of Sum of Mean sum of F

freedom squares squares
Replication r-1 SSR MSR

Main plot m-1 SSM MSM

Error(a) (r-1)(m-1) SSE(a) MSE(a)

Sub plot s-1 SSS MSS

Interaction (m-1)(s-1) SSI MSI

main plot x
sub plot
Error(b) m(r-1)(s-1) SSE(b) MSE(b)
Total rms-1

For comparing two main plot treatment

CD =

For comparing two sub plot treatment

3
 CD =

For comparing two sub plot treatment means at a given main plot treatment,

CD =

For comparing two main plot treatments either at a given sub plot treatment or at
different sub plot treatments

CD= ;

where

Strip-plot design

If two factors are involved and if both the factors require large plot sizes, it is difficult
to carry out the experiment in a split plot design. In some other situations a higher
precision may be required for the interaction than the precision for the two factors. The
strip-plot design is suitable for such experiments. It is also known as split-block design.

In strip-plot design each block is divided in to number of vertical and horizontal strips
depending on the levels of the respective factors. The vertical strip treatments are laid
out either in randomized blocks or in Latin square. The intersection of plots provides
information on the interaction of the two factors.

Replication 1 Replication 2
a0 a2 a1 a3 a2 a0 a3 a1
b1
b0
b2
b1
b2
b0

4
For example, for factors like spacing and ploughing, a block may be divided in to strips in one
direction to be allotted for one set of treatments, say different spacing and in to another set of
strips, in direction right angles to the first, to be allotted for second set of treatment, say
ploughing. The allotment of the treatment to the strips at each stage has to be made at random.
The analysis of strip plot design is carried out in three parts. The first part is the vertical strip
analysis, the second part is the horizontal strip analysis; and the third is the interaction analysis.
Suppose that A & B are the vertical strip and horizontal strip factors, respectively. The data are
rearranged in A x Replication table, B x Replication table and A x B table. From A x
Replication, sum of squares for replication, A and error (a) are computed. From B x Replication
table, the sum of squares for B and error (b) are computed; and from A x B table, A B SS is
computed. The ANOVA table is formed with these results

Source of Degrees of Sum of Mean sum of F

variation freedom squares squares
Replication r-1 SSR MSR

A a-1 SSA MSA

Error(a) (r-1)(a-1) SSE(a) MSE(a)

B b-1 SSB MSB

Error(b) (r-1)(b-1) SSE(b) MSE(b)

AB (a-1)(b-1) SSAB MSAB

Error© (r-1)(a-1)(b-1) SSE(c) MSE(c)

Total rab-1

SE(d) for A=

SE(d) for B=

5
SE(d) for A at levels of B=

SE(d) for B at levels of A=

The CD values are computed using appropriate t or tw.