A downloadable version [1] of the BBCH Scales, including illustrations, is available from the BBA [2] (Federal Biological Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry)
Phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of citrus
|
Code
| Description
|
Principal growth stage 0: Sprouting/Bud development
|
00 | Dormancy: leaf and inflorescence buds undifferentiated, closed and covered by green scales
|
01 | Beginning of bud swelling
|
03 | End of bud swelling: green scales slightly separated
|
07 | Beginning of bud burst
|
09 | Green leaf tips visible
|
Principal growth stage 1: Leaf development
|
10 | First leaves separating: green scales slightly open, leaves emerging
|
11 | First leaves visible1
|
15 | More leaves visible, not yet at full size
|
19 | First leaves fully expanded
|
Principal growth stage 3: Shoot development
|
31 | Beginning of shoot growth: axes of developing shoots visible
|
32 | Shoots about 20% of final length
|
39 | Shoots about 90% of final length
|
Principal growth stage 5: Inflorescence emergence
|
51 | Inflorescence buds swelling: buds closed, light green scales visible
|
53 | Bud burst: scales separated, floral tips visible
|
55 | Flowers visible, still closed (green bud), borne on single or multiflowered leafy or leafless inflorescences
|
56 | Flower petals elongating; sepals covering half corolla (white bud)
|
57 | Sepals open: petal tips visible; flowers with white or purplish petals, still closed
|
59 | Most flowers with petals forming a hollow ball
|
Principal growth stage 6: Flowering
|
60 | First flowers open
|
61 | Beginning of flowering: about 10% of flowers open
|
65 | Full flowering: 50% of flowers open; first petals falling
|
67 | Flowers fading: majority of petals fallen
|
69 | End of flowering: all petals fallen
|
Principal growth stage 7: Development of fruit
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71 | Fruit set; beginning of ovary growth; beginning of fruitlets abscission
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72 | Green fruit surrounded by sepal crown
|
73 | Some fruits slightly yellow: beginning of physiological fruit drop
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74 | Fruits about 40% of final size. Dark green fruit: end of physiological fruit drop
|
79 | Fruits about 90% of final size
|
Principal growth stage 8: Maturity of fruit
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81 | Beginning of fruit colouring (colour-break)
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83 | Fruit ripe for picking; fruit has not yet developed variety-specific colour
|
85 | Advanced ripening; increase in intensity of variety-specific colour
|
89 | Fruit ripe for consumption; fruit has typical taste and firmness; beginning of senescence and fruit abscission
|
Principal growth stage 9: Senescence, beginning of dormancy
|
91 | Shoot growth complete; foliage fully green
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93 | Beginning of senescense and abscission of old leaves
|
97 | Winter dormancy period
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1 In Citrus the term “visible” replaces “unfolded” used for other fruit species. Leaf unfolding takes place precociously in citrus