gosset: An R package for analysis and synthesis of ranking data in agricultural experimentation

Abstract

To derive insights from data, researchers working on agricultural experiments need appropriate data management and analysis tools. To ensure that workflows are reproducible and can be applied on a routine basis, programmatic tools are needed. Such tools are increasingly necessary for rank-based data, a type of data that is generated in on-farm experimentation and data synthesis exercises, among others. To address this need, we developed the R package gosset, which provides functionality for rank-based data and models. The gosset package facilitates data preparation, modeling and results presentation stages. It introduces novel functions not available in existing R packages for analyzing ranking data. This paper demonstrates the package functionality using the case study of a decentralized on-farm trial of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) varieties in Nicaragua.

Keywords

• Bradley–Terry
• Data science
• Plackett–Luce
• On-farm trials
• Tricot approach