ABSTRACT
In order to be considered highly reliable (showing very accurate results), an experiment needs to be very well planned. Defining the experimental plot size and number of replicates is fundamental to control the experimental error at the beginning of the experiment. The aim of this study was to estimate the plot size and the number of replicates sufficient to perform experiments with Cucumis sativus. A uniformity trial was installed in the first week of January 2017. The spacing used was 0.3 m between plants and 1 m between rows, resulting in 12 plants in each of the 12 cultivation rows and each basic experimental unit was composed of one plant. The variables observed in 18 harvests were average fruit mass (MMF, in g), average fruit length (CMF, in cm) and average fruit diameter (DMF, in cm). The harvests were analyzed individually and grouped to reduce experimental variability. The number of replicates and the plot size were estimated using the method of maximum curvature of the coefficient of variation. The plot size and the number of replicates were influenced by the variability in the rows and between the harvests. We recommend plots consisting of four plants per cultivation row with six replicates for the minimum significant difference by Tukey’s test, expressed in 25% the means percentage.
Keywords:
Cucumis sativus; experimental accuracy; number of replicates; plot size; experimental variability