BBCH-scale (pome fruit)

In biology, the BBCH-scale for pome fruit describes the phenological development of fruits such as apples and pears using the BBCH-scale.

The phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of pome fruit 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	Beginning of leaf bud swelling: buds visibly swollen, bud scales elongated, with light coloured patches
	03	End of leaf bud swelling: bud scales light coloured with some parts densely covered by hairs
	07	Beginning of bud break: first green leaf tips just visible
	09	Green leaf tips about 5 mm above bud scales
1: Leaf development	10	Mouse-ear stage: Green leaf tips 10 mm above the bud scales; first leaves separating
	11	First leaves unfolded (others still unfolding)
	15	More leaves unfolded, not yet at 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 swelling: bud scales elongated, with light coloured patches
	52	End of bud swelling: light coloured bud scales visible with parts densely covered by hairs
	53	Bud burst: green leaf tips enclosing flowers visible
	54	Mouse-ear stage: green leaf tips 10 mm above bud scales; first leaves separating
	55	Flower buds visible (still closed)
	56	Green bud stage: single flowers separating (still closed)
	57	Pink bud stage: flower petals elongating; sepals slightly open; petals just visible
	59	Most flowers with petals forming a hollow ball
6: Flowering	60	First flowers open
	61	Beginning of flowering: about 10% of flowers open
	62	About 20% of flowers open
	63	About 30% of flowers open
	64	About 40% 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	Fruit size up to 10 mm; fruit fall after flowering
	72	Fruit size up to 20 mm
	73	Second fruit fall
	74	Fruit diameter up to 40 mm; fruit erect (T-stage: underside of fruit and stalk forming a T)
	75	Fruit about half final size
	76	Fruit about 60% final size
	77	Fruit about 70% final size
	78	Fruit about 80% final size
	79	Fruit about 90% final size
8: Maturity of fruit and seed	81	Beginning of ripening: first appearance of cultivar-specific colour
	85	Advanced ripening: increase in intensity of cultivar-specific colour
	87	Fruit ripe for picking
	89	Fruit ripe for consumption: fruit have typical taste and firmness
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
	97	All leaves fallen
	99	Harvested product

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.

External links

• A downloadable version of the BBCH Scales