Statistical Analysis
All experiments were performed in at least 3 spinach replicates unless stated otherwise. Standard deviations (SDs) were determined from the replicates of each sample. The WisDM Green estimated coefficients were analyzed using sum of squares F-test and the significance of P-values served as the removal criterion for each individual coefficient obtained from stepwise regression. Sample distribution was tested with Shapiro-Wilk normality test. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for multiple comparisons, followed by Dunn’s post hoc test for pairwise comparisons. The statistical significance of Bliss synergy scores was determined using one-sample t-test. Student’s t-test was performed to determine statistically significant difference of experimental conditions across experiments.
In the WisDM Green optimization step, potential outliers were observed in combinations that had >30 %Yield in standard deviations. To account for biological variation, a strict set of criteria was implemented to remove replicates. Combinations that had >30 %Yield in standard deviations and satisfied at least one of the following exclusion criteria were excluded from WisDM Green analysis. The first factor that was observed to affect red spinach (Amaranthus cruentus) growth is spatial bias, and that plants at the corner had less light source. Moreover, the neighboring red plants’ height and leaf count also limited the growth and space of some red spinach. In a total of 177 replicates (59 OACD combinations in triplicates), 16 replicates were removed before WisDM Green analysis. Combination 3, 5, 9, 13, 25, 40, 41, and 45 had one replicate that satisfied all three criteria and were subsequently excluded. Combination 17, 24, 27, 49, and 55 had one replicate that satisfied at least two of the three criteria and were removed. One replicate was removed in combination 29 and 59, satisfying one of the three exclusion criteria. Combination 23 had one replicate removed due to experimental error.