THERMAL TIME REQUIREMENT AND HARVEST TIME FORECAST FOR PEACH CULTIVARS WITH DIFFERENT FRUIT DEVELOPMENT PERIODS

Non-linear models using growing degree hours (GDH), based on the choice of base, critical and optimum temperatures, have been successfully applied to calculate thermal time required for spring bud burst in deciduous fruit trees. The flexibility of the model can fit the wide range of temperatures that occur during the peach fruit development period (FDP), which takes place from early spring to late summer. In this experiment, fruit growth was studied in relation to thermal time accumulated from bloom to fruit harvest for peach and nectarine cultivars whose fruit development period range from 70 to 150 days. Thermal time was calculated in terms of degree days (DD) (base temperature 7 °C, and …