BBCH-scale (leafy vegetables not forming heads)

In biology, the BBCH-scale for leafy vegetables not forming heads describes the phenological development of leafy vegetables not forming heads, such as spinach, loosehead lettuce, and kale, using the BBCH-scale.

The phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of leafy vegetables not forming heads are:

Growth stage	Code	Description
0: Germination	00	Dry seed
	01	Beginning of seed imbibition
	03	Seed imbibition complete
	05	Radicle emerged from seed
	07	Hypocotyl with cotyledons breaking through seed coat
	09	Emergence: cotyledons break through soil surface
1: Leaf development (Main shoot)	10	Cotyledons completely unfolded; growing point or true leaf initial visible
	11	First true leaf unfolded
	12	2nd true leaf unfolded
	13	3rd true leaf unfolded
	1 .	Stages continuous till ...
	19	9 or more true leaves unfolded
3: Stem elongation of rosette growth	33	Leaf rosette has reached 30% of the expected diameter typical for the variety.^1 Main shoot has reached 30% of the expected height typical for the variety²
	35	Leaf rosette has reached 50% of the expected diameter typical for the variety.^1 Main shoot has reached 50% of the expected height typical for the variety²
	37	Leaf rosette has reached 70% of the expected diameter typical for the variety.^1 Main shoot has reached 70% of the expected height for the variety²
	39	Rosette development completed^1 Main shoot has reached the height typical for the variety²
4: Development of harvestable vegetative plant parts	41	10% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	42	20% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	43	30% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	44	40% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	45	50% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	46	60% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	47	70% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	48	80% of the leaf mass typical for the variety reached
	49	Typical leaf mass reached
5: Inflorescence emergence	51	Main shoot begins to elongate^1 Main inflorescence visible between uppermost leaves²
	53	30% of the expected height of the main shoot reached
	55	First individual flowers of main inflorescence visible (still closed)
	59	First flower petals visible; flowers still closed
6: Flowering	60	First flowers open (sporadically)
	61	Beginning of flowering: 10% of flowers open
	62	20% of flowers open
	63	30% of flowers open
	64	40% of flowers open
	65	Full flowering: 50% of flowers open
	67	Flowering finishing: majority of petals fallen or dry
	69	End of flowering
7: Development of fruit	71	First fruits formed
	72	20% of fruits have reached typical size
	73	30% of fruits have reached typical size
	74	40% of fruits have reached typical size
	75	50% of fruits have reached typical size
	76	60% of fruits have reached typical size
	77	70% of fruits have reached typical size
	78	80% of fruits have reached typical size
	79	Fruits have reached typical size
8: Ripening of fruit and seed	81	Beginning of ripening: 10% of fruits ripe, or 10% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	82	20% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	83	30% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	84	40% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	85	50% of fruits ripe, or 50% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	86	60% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	87	70% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	88	80% of fruits ripe, or 20% of seeds of typical colour, dry and hard
	89	Fully ripe: seeds on the whole plant of typical colour and hard
9: Senescence
	92	Leaves and shoots beginning to discolor
	95	50% of leaves yellow or dead
	97	Plants dead
99	Harvested product (seeds)

1. For lettuce varieties without head, spinach and species with rosette-type growth
2. For kale and species without rosette growth

References

• Feller, C.; H. Bleiholder; L. Buhr; H. Hack; M. Hess; R. Klose; U. Meier; R. Stauss; T. van den Boom; E. Weber (1995). "Phänologische Entwicklungsstadien von Gemüsepflanzen: I. Zwiebel-, Wurzel-, Knollen- und Blattgemüse". Nachrichtenbl. Deut. Pflanzenschutzd. 47: 193–206.

External links

• A downloadable version of the BBCH Scales