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Growing Degree Units
by Dennis Berglund, CPCC-I
CENTROL
218-584-5107
dennisb@tvutel.com
June 11, 2010
Growing Degree Units (GDUs) or Growing Degree Days (GDDs) are useful to predict crop maturity and pest development.
- GDUs are calculated by taking the average temperature for the day and subtracting the base temperature (which is the minimum temperature necessary for the organism to develop)
- The calculations are pretty straight forward, but can get confusing because crops have different base temperature. (And, they don't all agree!)
- For example, depending on the source:
- Spring Wheat can have a base of 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sunflowers can have a base of 44, 45 or 50 degrees.
- Soybeans and Corn usually have a base of 50 degrees.
- European Corn Borer has a 50 degree base.
- Wheat Midge has a 40 degree base.
- Alfalfa Weevil has a 48 degree base.
- Sugarbeet Root Maggot has a 47.5 degree base.
- So, we need to be careful using one crop's GDU calculation for another crop and it is even important to know WHICH "base" we are talking about.
- As of June 10, we are almost exactly at our normal average for Growing Degree Units (base 50).
- Here are a few more rules of thumb:
- Corn takes about 2100 GDU (base 50) for 85 day corn and 2400 GDU for 100 day corn to mature
- Wheat takes about 2000-2100 (base 34) to mature
- Historically, we add 10-30 GDU (base 50) per day in mid-June, with 17 being average
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THE AUTHOR DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FEATURE,
ALTHOUGH IT IS BELIEVED TO BE ACCURATE. THE AUTHOR ASSUMES NO LIABILTY OR RESPONSIBILITY
FOR DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES OR FOR ANY OTHER
DAMAGES RELATING OR ARISING OUT OF ANY ACTION TAKEN AS A RESULT OF ANY INFORMATION OR
ADVICE CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT. THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED LIABILITY
OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN, WHICH IS SOLELY AT THE LIABILITY OF AND RESPONSIBILITY
OF THE USER.
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