Adjuvants: Test design, interpretation, and presentation of results

Adjuvant research contributes much to the knowledge and practice of weed sc ience though the scientific process of systematically asking precise questi ons and subsequently making distinctions among alternative explanations. Th e purpose of adjuvant experimentation is to answer these questions and the purpose of associated papers and presentations is to communicate the new in formation. These purposes are self-evident, but are difficult to perfect. S ome factors are particularly difficult for adjuvant researchers and require that researchers plan thoroughly from the formulation of the experimental question to final presentation of results. Adjuvant research requires both chemical and biological expertise that is traditionally separated in most o rganizations. Scientists from other disciplines or weed scientists not prim arily concerned with adjuvants often direct adjuvant studies. This paper di scusses mistakes that are commonly made in test design, interpretation, and presentation and suggests guidelines to improve the quality of adjuvant re search.