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This study compared four methods for defining the ideal sample size per experimental unit to estimate the overall experimental mean for the total length, shoot length, root length, and the number of leaves of cauliflower seedlings. An experiment was carried out where the number of leaves, shoot, root, and total length were measured, and the general, perpendicular distance, linear response plateau, and spline methods were tested. While the general method may under or overestimate sample size and the sampling of 10 seedlings suggested by the spline method is still too far from the stabilization point of the curve, the perpendicular distance and linear plateau response methods are recommended to obtain results corresponding to narrower confidence interval widths. Therefore, according to the perpendicular distance method, at least 15 seedlings per experimental unit are required to estimate the overall experimental mean of cauliflower seedlings reliably for the traits here measured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]