Plot size and number of replicates in times of sowing and cuts of millet

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the optimum plot size (Xo) and number of replicates to evaluate millet shoot fresh matter in times of sowing and cuts. Uniformity trials of 6 × 4 m (24 m2) were carried out in three sowing times, in the agricultural year of 2013-2014. Each uniformity trial was divided into 24 basic experimental units (BEU) of 1 × 1 m (1 m2) and the shoot fresh matter of plants in each BEU was weighed. The Xo was determined by the method of maximum curvature of the coefficient of variation model. The number of replicates for experiments in completely randomized and randomized block design, in scenarios of combinations of i treatments (i = 3, 4, ..., 50) and d minimal differences between treatment means, to be detected as significant at 0.05 probability level by Tukey test, expressed in percentage of the experiment mean (d = 10, 12, ..., 30%), was determined by iterative process until convergence. The optimum plot size to evaluate millet shoot fresh matter is 4.97 m2, for the three times of sowing and cuts. For the evaluation of up to 50 treatments, in completely randomized and randomized block design, five replicates are sufficient to identify as significant, at 0.05 probability level by Tukey test, differences between treatment means of 28.66% of the mean of the experiment.