Relationship between Plant Weight and Growing Period for Vegetable Crops in the United Kingdom

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Abstract
A generalized equation is derived that relates total dry matter production to time from emergence for crops grown in the field with adequate water and nutrients. It is: w+K1lnw+W0=K2t where w is the plant dry weight in t ha−1, t is time in days after emergence, K2 and K1 are constants and W0 equals −(w0+K1lnw0) where w0 is the value of w at the start of the growing period. The increases in the dry matter of 18 different types of vegetable crop were measured at intervals during growth in the field. In every case the data fitted the equation very satisfactorily with K1 set equal to 1 t ha−1. The fitted values of K2 were similar for many crops; those of W0 varied considerably but were always similar to the values calculated from the individual seed weight and the plant population. Good fits were also obtained when time in days was replaced with cumulative evaporation from an open water surface. It is concluded that the growth-time curves of many different vegetable crops can be described by the same simple equation and that the variation between curves can be largely attributed to differences in seed weight and plant population.