Mathematical Indices for Comparing Small Fruit Crops for Harvest Time and Trait Similarity

Abstract

Three mathematical indices were developed to estimate: 1) potential for early dollar return or early ripening (IE), 2) concentrated cropping (IC), and 3) deviation or similarity of a genotype to known cultivars (ID). Early ripening genotypes with high yield early in the season will have larger IE values than late genotypes with lower yield early in the season. Genotypes with few harvests will have larger IC values than those requiring several harvests. The ID index helps to identify and group genotypes with similar characteristics. These indices condense numerous values or arrays of traits into single index values, thereby simplifying genotype comparisons.