Developmental models can help growers to decide management practices, and to predict flowering and harvest time. Currently, a double exponential function is proposed as a generalized temperature response function for chrysanthemum. This function is not the most appropriate because its parameters lack biological meaning. The objective of this study was to develop a nonlinear temperature response function of chrysanthemum development that has parameters with biological meaning. The proposed function is a beta function with three parameters, the cardinal temperatures (minimum, optimum, and maximum temperatures for development), which were defined as 0, 22, and 35ºC. Published data of temperature response of development of three cultivars, which are independent data sets, were used to test the performance of the double exponential function and the beta function. Results showed that the beta function is better than the double exponential function to describe the temperature response of chrysanthemum development.
phenology; flowering; model
