Production cycle and characterization of Italian zucchini genotypes by the logistic model

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify the productive cycle response of Italian zucchini genotypes grown under field conditions in two growing seasons using the nonlinear logistic model and its critical points. Two randomized block experiments were conducted, with three genotypes (Caserta, PX13067051, and Tronco) and two growing seasons (spring-summer and summer-fall), with eight replicates and each experimental unit consisting of 7 plants. The logistic nonlinear model was adjusted for the fruit mass variable, as a function of the accumulated thermal sum, and the critical points were estimated by the partial derivatives of the adjusted function. Adjustment by bootstrap resampling was performed to address the violation of assumptions. The results of intrinsic and parametric nonlinearity confirm the quality of the model fit. This experiment demonstrated that the zucchini genotypes evaluated were more productive in the spring-summer growing season, using the parameters and critical points obtained from the logistic nonlinear model. Genotypes PX13067051 and Caserta showed superior productivity to the Tronco genotype, and also fruited earlier and at a higher rate of production. The logistic growth model and its critical points characterized the production cycle of the zucchini genotypes in different growing seasons and allowed inferences to be made to differentiate the genotypes and the growing seasons.