BBCH-scale (currants)

In biology, the BBCH-scale for currants describes the phenological development of currants, such as blackcurrants and redcurrants, using the BBCH-scale.

The phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of currants are:

Growth stage	Code	Description
0: Sprouting/Bud development	00	Dormancy: leaf buds and the thicker inflorescence buds closed and covered by dark brown scales
	01[1]	Beginning of bud swelling: bud scales elongated
	03	End of bud swelling: edges of bud scales light coloured
	07	Beginning of bud burst: first green or red leaf tips just visible
	09	Leaf tips extended beyond scales
1: Leaf development	10	Leaf tips above the bud scales: first leaves separating
	11	First leaves unfolded (others still unfolding)
	15	More leaves unfolded, not yet full size
	19	First leaves fully expanded
3: Shoot development^1	31	Beginning of shoot growth: axes of developing shoots visible
	32	Shoots about 20% of final length
	33	Shoots about 30% of final length
	3 .	Stages continuous till ...
	39	Shoots about 90% of final length
5: Inflorescence emergence	51	Inflorescence buds and leaf buds swelling: buds closed, light brown scales visible
	53	Bud burst: scales separated light green but sections visible
	54	Green or red leaf tips above bud scales
	55	First flower buds (compact raceme) visible beside unfolded leaves
	56	Beginning of raceme elongation
	57	First flower bud separated on elongating raceme
	59	Grape stage: all flower buds separated
6: Flowering	60	First flowers open
	61	Beginning of flowering: about 10% of flowers open
	65	Full flowering: at least 50% of flowers open, first petals falling
	67	Flowers fading: majority of petals fallen
	69	End of flowering: all petals fallen
7: Development of fruit	71	Beginning of fruit growth: first fruits visible at raceme base
	72	20% of fruits formed
	73	30% of fruits formed
	74	40% of fruits formed
	75	50% of fruits formed
	76	60% of fruits formed
	77	70% of fruits formed
	78	80% of fruits formed
	79	90% of fruits formed
8: Maturity of fruit and seed	81	Beginning of ripening: change to cultivar-specific fruit color
	85	Advanced ripening: first berries at base of racemes have cultivar-specific color
	87	Fruit ripe for picking: most berries ripe
	89	Berries at base of racemes tending to drop (beginning of fruit abscission)
9: Senescence, beginning of dormancy	91	Shoot growth completed; terminal bud developed; foliage still fully green
	92	Leaves begin to discolour
	93	Beginning of leaf fall
	95	50% of leaves discoloured or fallen
	97	All leaves fallen
	99	Harvested product

Notes

1. From terminal bud.

References

• Meier, U.; H. Graf; M. Hess; W. Kennel; R. Klose; D. Mappes; D. Seipp; R. Stauss; J. Streif; T. van den Boom (1994). "Phänologische Entwick-lungsstadien des Kernobstes (Malus domestica Borkh. und Pyrus communis L.), des Steinobstes (Prunus-Arten), der Johannisbeere (Ribes-Arten) und der Erdbeere (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.)". Nachrichtenbl. Deut. Pflanzenschutzd. 46: 141–153.