Sample size for single, double and triple hybrid corn ear traits

Abstract

Using adequate sample size in the experimental units improves the efficiency of the research. In the agricultural year of 2004/2005, an experiment was conducted in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, with the objective of estimating the sample size for the following traits: ear length, ear and cob diameter, ear weight, weight of grains per ear, cob weight and the weight of 100 grains, the number of grain rows per ear, the number of grains per ear and the length of grains for two single hybrids (P30F33 and P Flex), two triple hybrids (AG8021 and DG501) of and two double hybrids (AG2060 and DKB701) maize. For a 5% (D5) precision, the weight traits (dehusked ear weight, weight of grains per ear, cob weight and weight of 100 grains) can be sampled whit 21 ears; the size traits (ear length, ear diameter, cob diameter and grain length) whit eight ears; and the number traits (number of grain and rows) whit 13 ears. The sample size varies as a function of the ear trait and the type of hybrid i.e. single, triple or double. The genetic variability among corn ear, on an increasing basis i.e. single, triple and double, is not reflected in the same order for the sample size of traits per ear.