Determining the best wheat varieties in Narok County using a completely randomized block design

Abstract

Wheat production in Narok County which is one of the leading wheat producing counties alongside Nakuru and Uasin Gishu counties of Kenya has been reducing as farmers continue experiencing various problems. The problems include unreliable rainfall, drying of wheat due to soil acidity, pests like quelea birds and exploitation by middlemen. Insufficient skills concerning the type of varieties (treatments) favorable for planting is the main cause of decrease in wheat production. Therefore there is need to investigate the most sufficient high quality varieties which can grow in Narok County to provide better yields and determine the trend in yearly production (blocks). Some statistical models have been used to explain the same but none has brought forward a significant solution, hence we decided to use Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) model to suggest varieties to grow for better yields. The varieties, which we have treated in this study as treatments and yearly production also treated as blocks give us a solution to the problem by the use of RCBD. The data obtained was analyzed using R software and Microsoft Excel packages from which we found that Njoro II, Eagle 10 and Mwamba are the best varieties to grow in this county. We believe that this information will be helpful to farmers of Narok County and Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture which is expected to provide farmers in this county with such varieties and expertise.