Pest Forecasting Systems

Degree Day Summation is one of the most commonly used pest phenology models in agriculture and pest management. This model operates under the assumption of a linear relationship between the development rate of an insect and the temperature, which falls within specific upper and lower threshold values. By calculating the accumulated degree days based on daily temperature data, we can estimate the stage of insect development.

These models have proven to be valuable components of decision support systems for farmers and growers. By utilizing degree day models, they can make more informed predictions about crucial activities such as determining optimal spray timings or initiating pest scouting efforts.

However, it's important to note that other significant models exist for studying the effects of individual insect development within a population. These models often focus on the mean rate of development in relation to temperature and take into account the distribution of development times among the insect population