BBCH-scale (solaneous fruit)

The BBCH-scale (solaneous fruit) identifies the phenological development stages of solaneous fruit (tomato = Lycopersicon esculentum, aubergine = Solanum melongena, paprika = Capsicum annuum). It is a plant species specific version of the BBCH-scale.

Phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of solanaceous fruits
Code (2-digit)	Code (3-digit)	Description
Principal growth stage 0: Germination
00	000	Dry seeds
01	001	Beginning of seed imbibition
03	003	Seed imbibition complete
05	005	Radicle emerged from seed
07	007	Hypocotyl with cotyledons breaking through seed coat
09	009	Emergence: coryledons break through soil surface
Principal growth stage 1: Leaf development
10	100	Cotyledons completely unfolded
11	101	First true leaf on main shoot fully unfolded
12	102	2nd leaf on main shoot unfolded
13	103	3rd leaf on main shoot unfolded
1 .	10 .	Stages continuous till . . .
19	109	9 or more leaves on main shoot unfolded
Principal growth stage 2: Formation of side shoots1
21	201	First primary apical side shoot visible
22	202	2nd primary apical side shoot visible
2 .	20 .	Stages continuous till . . .
29	209	9 or more apical primary side shoots visible
–	221	First secondary apical side shoot visible
–	22 .	Stages continuous till . . .
–	229	9th secondary apical side shoot visible
–	231	First tertiary apical side shoot visible
–	23 .	Stages continuous till . . .
–	2NX	Xth apical side shoot of the Nth order visible
Principal growth stage 5: Inflorescence emergence
51	501	First inflorescence visible (first bud erect)2 Additional recommended knowledge How to quickly check pipettes? Daily Sensitivity Test Don't let static charges disrupt your weighing accuracy First flower bud visible3
52	502	2nd inflorescence visible (first bud erect)2 2nd flower bud visible3
53	503	3th inflorescence visible (first bud erect)2 3th flower bud visible3
5 .	50 .	Stages continuous till . . .
59	509	9 or more inflorescences visible (2digit), 9th inflorescence visible(first bud erect) (3digit)2 9 or more flower buds already visible (2digit), 9th flower bud visible (3digit)3
–	510	10th inflorescence visible (first bud erect)2 10th flower bud visible3
–	51 .	Stages continuous till . . .
–	519	19th inflorescence visible (first bud erect)2 19th flower bud visible3
Principal growth stage 6: Flowering
61	601	First inflorescence: first flower open2 First flower open3
62	602	2nd inflorescence: first flower open2 2nd flower open3
63	603	3rd inflorescence: first flower open2 3rd flower open3
6 .	60 .	Stages continuous till . . .
69	609	9 or more inflorescences with open flowers (2digit) 9th inflorescence: first flower open (3digit)2 9 or more flowers already open (2digit) 9th flower open (3digit)3
–	610	10th inflorescence: first flower open2 10th flower open3
–	61 .	Stages continuous till . . .
–	619	19th inflorescence: first flower open2 19th flower open3
Principal growth stage 7: Development of fruit
71	701	First fruit cluster: first fruit has reached typical size2 First fruit has reached typical size and form3
72	702	2nd fruit cluster: first fruit has reached typical size2 2nd fruit has reached typical size and form3
73	703	3rd fruit cluster: first fruit has reached typical size2 3rd fruit has reached typical size and form3
7 .	70 .	Stages continuous till . . .
79	709	9 or more fruit clusters with fruits of typical size (2digit) 9th fruit cluster:first fruit has reached typical size (3digit)2 9 or more fruits have reached typical size and form (2digit) 9th fruit has reached typical size and form(3digit)3
–	710	10th fruit cluster: first fruit has reached typical form and size2 10th fruit has reached typical form and size3
–	71 .	Stages continuous till . . . 19th fruit has reached typical form and size3
–	719	19th fruit cluster: first fruit has reached typical form and size2
Principal growth stage 8: Ripening of fruit and seed
81	801	10% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
82	802	20% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
83	803	30% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
84	804	40% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
85	805	50% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
86	806	60% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
87	807	70% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
88	808	80% of fruits show typical fully ripe colour
89	809	Fully ripe: fruits have typical fully ripe colour3
Principal growth stage 9: Senescence
97	907	Plants dead
99	909	Harvested product

1 For tomatoes with determinate stem growth, paprika and aubergines. In tomatoes with indeterminate stem growth and only one sympodial branch at the corresponding axis, the apical side shoot formation occurs concurrently with the emergence of the inflorescence (Principal growth stage 5), so that the coding within principal growth stage 2 is not necessary
2 For tomato
3 For paprika and aubergine

References

Feller, C.; H. Bleiholder, L. Buhr, H. Hack, M. Hess, R. Klose, U. Meier, R. Stauss, T. van den Boom, E. Weber. "Phänologische Entwicklungsstadien von Gemüsepflanzen: II. Fruchtgemüse und Hülsenfrüchte. Nachrichtenbl. Deut.". Pflanzenschutzd. 47: 217-232.