Sample size for the estimation of the mean and the coefficient of variation in maize

The objective of this work was to determine the necessary sample size to estimate the mean and the coefficient of variation in traits of single, three-way, and double maize crosses, in different harvests and precision levels, by resampling with replacement. Twelve characters were measured in 361, 373, and 416 plants, respectively, of the single, three-way, and double-cross hybrids of the 2008/2009 crop season, and in 1,777, 1,693, and 1,720 plants, respectively, of the single, three-way, and double-cross hybrids of the 2009/2010 crop season. Then, descriptive statistics were calculated and the sample size necessary to estimate the mean and coefficient of variation in precision levels - amplitudes of the confidence interval of 95% (AIC_95%) of 5, 10, ..., 35% of the mean and coefficient of variation - were determined by resampling with replacement. The sample size varied among hybrids, crop seasons, and traits. A larger sample size is necessary to estimate the mean and the coefficient of variation for the double-cross hybrid evaluated in the 2009/2010 crop season. For the same hybrid, crop, trait, and precision level, a larger sample size is necessary to estimate the mean compared to the sample size necessary to estimate the coefficient of variation. The measurement of 325, 150, 80, 60, 35, and 30 plants, respectively, is enough for the estimation of the mean and the coefficient of variation with AIC_95% maximum of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35%, in all hybrids, crops and traits.

Zea mays; experimental design; resampling; optimum plot size