Título:	Sample size matters: optimizing fruit sampling for reliable quality assessment in sweet orange varieties
Autoria:	CALDAS, M. J. M. SASAKI, F. F. C. RODRIGUES, V. da S. SANTANA, L. G. L. LEDO, C. A. da S. GESTEIRA, A. da S. PASSOS, O. S. SOARES FILHO, W. dos S.
Afiliação:	MAIARA JANINE MACHADO CALDAS, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RECÔNCAVO DA BAHIA; FABIANA FUMI CERQUEIRA SASAKI, CNPMF; VALTER DA SILVA RODRIGUES, UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RECÔNCAVO DA BAHIA; LIZZIANE GOMES LEAL SANTANA; CARLOS ALBERTO DA SILVA LEDO, CNPMF; ABELMON DA SILVA GESTEIRA, CNPMF; ORLANDO SAMPAIO PASSOS, CNPMF; WALTER DOS SANTOS SOARES FILHO, CNPMF.
Ano de publicação:	2026
Referência:	Sci. agric. Piracicaba, v. 83, 2026.
Conteúdo:	ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine the optimal sample size of fruits from sweet orange varieties for the evaluation of their physical and chemical quality attributes. Twenty ripe fruits from the following varieties, namely, Diva, Hamlin CNPMF-020, Pera CNPMF-D6, Uruburetama Blood, and Valência Tuxpan CNPMF were used. The variables assessed included fruit mass, longitudinal and transverse diameters, juice mass and yield, peel color and thickness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio (SS/TA), and a technological index. The experimental design was completely randomized, with individual analysis of each fruit. Data were analyzed using the Modified Maximum Curvature Method with the aid of the R statistical software. The optimal minimum number of fruits varied according to variety and variable. The smallest required sample sizes were four fruits for Pera CNPMF-D6, six fruits for Diva and Uruburetama Blood, and seven fruits for Valência Tuxpan CNPMF and Hamlin CNPMF-020. Therefore, a standardized sample size of seven fruits is recommended for studies based on the physicochemical quality of sweet orange varieties, to ensure sufficient precision and statistical reliability under the conditions of this study.
Thesagro:	Laranja Doce Propriedade Físico-Química
NAL Thesaurus:	Oranges Physicochemical properties
ISSN:	1678-992X.
Digital Object Identifier:	https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-992X-2024-0121
Tipo do material:	Artigo de periódico
Acesso:	openAccess
Aparece nas coleções:	Artigo em periódico indexado (CNPMF)