Growing degree-days
Growing degree days (GDD) are a measure of accumulated heat to predict plant and animal development rates such as the date that a flower will bloom, an insect will emerge from dormancy, or a crop will reach maturity. Because many developmental events of plants and insects depend on the accumulation of heat, it is possible to predict when these events should occur during a growing season regardless of differences in temperatures from year to year.
Plants, in the absence of extreme conditions, grow in a cumulative stepwise manner which is strongly influenced by the ambient temperature. Growing degree days allow gardeners to predict (or, in greenhouses, even to control) the plants’ pace toward maturity.
Insect development and growing degree-days are also used by some farmers and horticulturalists to time their use of organic, biological or other pest control methods so they are applying the procedure or treatment at the point that the pest is most vulnerable. Several beekeepers are also researching the correlation between growing degree-days and the life cycle of a honeybee colony.
Degree-days in Ansovino
GDDs can be used to
- assess the suitability of a region for production of a particular crop;
- estimate the growth-stages of crops, weeds or even life stages of insects;
- predict maturity and cutting dates of forage crops;
- predict best timing of fertilizer or pesticide application;
- estimate the heat stress on crops;
- plan spacing of planting dates to produce separate harvest dates.
1) Find the parcel you wish to monitor in Areas
2) Click on the „Climate” 
icon.
3) The Growing degree-day chart displays heat accumulation calculated for the area.
4) Change the start date, baseline temperature and maximum temperature in „Parameters”. Hit Enter or click on the „Calculate” button to redraw the chart.
5) Click on the „Add a new notification” icon 
to set up a new alert.
6) Configure notification parameters, then click on the „Create” button to save your new alert.
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