A Model to Predict Fruit Growth from Solar Radiation and Temperature data for Japanese Pear

Abstract

To explain and predict the relation between weather and fruit growth in Japanese pear(Pyrus pyriforia Nakai, cv. Kosui), a model was constructed based on solar radiation and field growth data obtained from several regions in Japan. As a result of simulation, the following equation applicable to the estimation of the fruit growth under usual and unusual weather in every region was formulated.where Vx is estimated fruit volume at x days after flowering, V33 is observed fruit volume 33 days after flowering, kn is parameter indicating seasonal change in the influ-ence of Sd, Sd is observed daily solar radiation, p = 0.580 and b = 0.639. Transverse diameter of fruit at x days after flowering (wx) can be estimated from the following equa-tion.