Growing Degree Days
Growing Degree Days : A heat index that relates the development of plants, insects, and disease organisms to environmental air temperature. The index varies depending on whether it is a cool, warm, or very warm season plant. For example, a corn growing degree day (GDD) is an index used to express crop maturity. The index is computed by subtracting a base temperature of 50oF from the average of the maximum and minimum temperatures for the day. Minimum temperatures less than 50oF are set to 50, and maximum temperatures greater than 86oF are set to 86. These substitutions indicate that no appreciable growth is detected with temperatures lower than 50 or greater than 86. If the maximum and minimum temperatures were 85 and 52, you would calculate the GDD by ((85+52/2): 50) = 18.5 GDD
No records Found