Growing Degree Days and Temperature Effects

The video tutorial explains the concept of growing degree days, a measure of heat accumulation used to predict the development of crops and insects. It details how to calculate growing degree days using daily temperature data and provides examples for corn and corn rootworm. The tutorial emphasizes the importance of using specific temperature ranges for different species and highlights that negative growing degree days are not possible.

What is the primary factor that drives the development of many crops and insects?

• Sunlight exposure

• Water accumulation

• Nutrient availability

• Heat accumulation

When do we start accumulating growing degree days for plants?

• When the plant starts flowering

• Once the plant is harvested

• When the plant reaches maturity

• Once the plant is planted

What is the first step in calculating growing degree days?

• Adding the maximum and minimum temperatures

• Subtracting the base temperature

• Checking the boundaries of the temperature

• Finding the average temperature for the day

What should you do if the daily minimum temperature is below the growth range?

• Use the average temperature instead

• Replace it with the lowest number in the range

• Ignore the temperature for that day

• Use the actual minimum temperature

In the example problem, what is the base temperature used for corn?

• 60 degrees Fahrenheit

• 50 degrees Fahrenheit

• 45 degrees Fahrenheit

• 55 degrees Fahrenheit

How many growing degree days were accumulated for corn on a day with a high of 85°F and a low of 74°F?

• 27.5

• 31.5

• 29.5

• 25.5

What is the total accumulation of growing degree days over a three-day period with temperatures of 67°F, 48°F, 90°F, and 82°F?

• 70

• 72

• 74

• 76

For corn rootworm, what is the base temperature used in the calculation?

• 54 degrees Fahrenheit

• 52 degrees Fahrenheit

• 56 degrees Fahrenheit

• 50 degrees Fahrenheit

What should be done if the calculated growing degree days result in a negative value?

• Use the negative value

• Set the value to zero

• Recalculate using different temperatures

• Ignore the day

Why can't insects have a negative amount of growing degree days?

• They can only develop in positive temperatures

• They can't develop backwards or lose development

• They lose development they have already gained

• They can develop backwards