PREFACE


This is one of a new series of publications from CINMY entitled Training Working Documents. The purpose of these publications is to distribute, in a timely fashion, training -related materials developed by CIMMYT staff and colleagues. Some Training Working Documents will present new ideas that have not yet had the benefit of extensive testing in the field while others will present information in a form that the authors hav tested and found useful for teaching. Training Working Documents are intended for distribution to participants in courses sponsored by CIMMYT and to other interested scientists, trainers, and students. Users of these documents are encourage to provide feedback as to their usefulness and suggestions on how they might be improved. These documents may then be revised based on suggestions from readers and users and published in a more formal fashion.

CIMMYT is pleased to begin this new series of publications with, a set of six documents developed by Professor Roger Mead of the Applied Statistics Department, University of Reading, United Kingdom, in cooperation with CIMMYT staff. The first five documents address various aspects of the use of statistics for on-farm research design and analysis, and the sixth addresses statistical analysis of intercropping experiments. The documents provide on-farm research practitioners with innovative information not yet available elsewhere. Thanks goes out to the following CIMfMYT staff for providing valuable input into the development of this series: Mark Bell, Derek Byerlee, Jose Crossa, Gregory Edmeades, Carlos Gonzalez, Renee Lafitte, Robert Tripp, Jonathan Woolley.

Any comments on the content of the documents or suggestions as to how they might be improved should be sent to the following address:

                        CIMMYT Maize Training Coordinator
                                 Apdo. Postal 6-641
                            06600 Mexico D.F., Mexico.