PLOT SIZE, NUMBER OF TREATMENTS AND REPLICATES AND EXPERIMENTAL PRECISION IN BUCKWHEAT

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to determine the optimal plot size to evaluate the fresh weight in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) of the IPR91-Baili and IPR92-Altar cultivars, in scenarios formed by combinations of numbers of treatments, numbers of replicates, and levels of experimental precision. Sixteen uniformity trials (blank experiments) were carried out, eight with cultivar IPR91-Baili and eight with cultivar IPR92-Altar. The trials were performed in eight sowing dates. The fresh weight was evaluated in 576 basic experimental units (BEU) of 1 m x 1 m (36 BEU per trial). The soil heterogeneity index of Smith (1938) was estimated. The plot size was determined by the method of Hatheway (1961) in scenarios formed by combinations of i treatments (i = 5, 10, 15, and 20), r replicates (r = 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8), and d precision levels (d = 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, and 20%). To evaluate the fresh weight in buckwheat of the IPR91-Baili and IPR92-Altar cultivars, in experiments under completely randomized and randomized block designs, with 5 to 20 treatments and eight replicates, plots of 8 m3of useful area are sufficient to identify significant differences between treatments, at 5% probability level, of 15% of the overall mean of the experiment.