Experimental planning for the evaluation of phenotipic descriptors in banana

Abstract

This work aimed to subsidize experimental planning for the evaluation of phenotypic characters in banana. The experiment consisted of a uniformity trial with Tropical cultivar spaced of 3 m x 2 m, in a useful area with nine rows of 40 plants. Vegetative and yield aspects were evaluated in two production cycles. Plants and basic units (UB) were combined to form various plot sizes, from which the variation coefficient and the soil heterogeneity index were estimated. To define the experimental design, the Hatheway method was used. Variability, resulting from the soil anisotropy and other factors such as desuckering cultural practice increases between mother plant and daughter plant cycles, with effects on experimental design. The variation coefficient and number of replicates are the factors that most influenced the experimental design. For the same precision level required, the combination that maximizes efficient in the use of experimental area can be adopted, that is, smaller plot size and higher number of replicates or larger plot size and fewer replicates. Estimates of plot size and number of replicates are subsides for the design of experiments for the evaluation of phenotypic descriptors in banana.

Optimal plot size for experimental trials with Opuntia cactus pear

“…Thus, CVe is the factor with the greatest influence on the experimental plot dimension, followed by the index d, which determines the difference to be detected between treatments; the number of replicates and, finally, the number of treatments, with smaller effect on the plot size. Similar sequence on the order of importance of the factors was reported by Sousa et al (2016), Oliveira, Mello, Lima, Scolforo, andOliveira (2011), Muniz, Aquino, Simplicio, andSoares (2009) and Donato et al (2018) for sunflower, candeia, eucalyptus and banana crops, respectively.…”

“…In a similar study with the sunflower crop, Sousa et al (2016) estimated an index b at 1.0585 for all cultivars tested, thus denoting high soil variability, through the nullity of correlation between the BEUs. Also, in this context, indices b > 1 have been observed in several agronomic studies (Lúcio, Haesbaert, Santos, Schwertner, & Brunes, 2012;Santos, Haesbaert, Lúcio, Storck, & Cargnelutti Filho, 2012;Donato et al, 2018).…”

“…Normally, these values do not extrapolate a unit, as verified for these last two characteristics. However, it can be assumed, based on Donato et al (2018), that the b estimation method is inserted into the category 0 < b < +∞. Thomas (1974) interprets the index b>1 as the reflection of the negative correlation between the confronting plots, if each plot is composed of a single BEU.…”

“…For the determination of the Hatheway Method (1961), entitled as the appropriate size of the experimental plot, the complete grouping of the adjacent BEUs in the field was carried out, occupying the entire evaluation area. Based on the descriptors measured in the adjacent BEUs, to compose the plot formats, the measurements of statistical variability, soil heterogeneity index (Smith, 1938) and plot size (Hatheway, 1961) were determined by means of Microsoft -Excel ® calculation worksheet, according to the model proposed by Donato et al (2018).…”

Optimal size of experimental plots of papaya trees using a modified maximum curvature method

“…Using this method, all the analyzed traits were addressed. Moreover, it was justifiable to adopt this procedure because the MMCM, despite its simplicity and determination by equations, tends to estimate smaller plot sizes as compared to that of other methods (DONATO et al, 2008;2018).…”