HomePublicationsCrops & SoilsIssuesCrops Soils: Volume 59, Issue 8Understanding mean separation techniquesBy Dr. Alex Lindsey, The Ohio State University July 21, 2026 Understanding Mean Separation Techniques | CCA Essentials What are mean separation values, and how can Certified Crop Advisers (CCAs) use them? Being able to interpret mean separation techniques such as least significant difference (LSD), Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD), and Duncan’s test can help CCAs better understand if the yield difference between different treatments or different varieties is true or more likely attributed to chance.In this video, which is part of the new “CCA Essentials” series, Dr. Alex Lindsey of The Ohio State University shows how LSD values and other statistical tools can be used to determine with a certain level of confidence if the difference between treatments is significant.This video corresponds to the Crop Management Performance Objective: Understand how to use mean separation techniques such as least significant difference (LSD) values to interpret differences among varieties or hybrids. CCA Essentials CCA Study Tools International CCA Exam Performance Objectives Back to issue Text © . The authors. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Except where otherwise noted, images are subject to copyright. Any reuse without express permission from the copyright owner is prohibited.Share this: Related articles Martin receives Administrative Excellence Award August 13, 2026 Farmer-inspired cover crop research yields more than a decade of insights August 13, 2026 Demo Den: Ready-to-go activities for K-12 audiences and beyond! August 12, 2026 Recent articles Martin receives Administrative Excellence Award August 13, 2026 Understanding the foundations of fertilizer recommendations July 31, 2026 Soil carbon calculations July 29, 2026