The BBCH-scale (weed) identifies the phenological development stages of weed species. It is a plant species specific version of the BBCH-scale.
D = Dicotyledons
G = Gramineae
M = Monocotyledons
P = Perennial plants
V = Development from vegetative parts or propagated organs
No code letter is used if the description applies to all groups of plants.
| Phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of weeds |
||
|---|---|---|
| Code | Plant type | Description |
| Principal growth stage 0: Germination, sprouting, bud development | ||
| 00 | Dry seed | |
| V | Perennating or reproductive organs during the resting period (tuber, rhizome, bulb, stolon) | |
| P | Winter dormancy or resting period | |
| 01 | Beginning of seed imbibition | |
| P, V | Beginning of bud swelling | |
| 03 | Seed imbibition complete | |
| P, V | End of bud swelling | |
| 05 | Radicle (root) emerged from seed | |
| V | Perennating or reproductive organs forming roots | |
| 06 | Elongation of radicle, formation of root hairs and/or lateral roots | |
| 07 | G | Coleoptile emerged from caryopsis |
| D, M | Hypocotyl with cotyledons or shoot breaking through seed coat | |
| P, V | Beginning of sprouting or bud breaking | |
| 08 | D | Hypocotyl with cotyledons or shoot growing towards soil surface |
| V | Shoot growing towards soil surface | |
| 09 | G | Emergence: Coleoptile breaks through soil surface |
| D, M | Emergence: Cotyledons break through soil surface (except hypogeal germination); | |
| V | Emergence: Shoot/Leaf breaks through soil surface | |
| P | Buds show green tips | |
| Principal growth stage 1: Leaf development (main shoot) | ||
| 10 | G, M | First true leaf emerged from coleoptile |
| D | Cotyledons completely unfolded | |
| P | First leaves separated | |
| 11 | First true leaf, leaf pair or whorl unfolded | |
| P | First leaves unfolded | |
| 12 | 2 true leaves, leaf pairs or whorls unfolded | |
| 13 | 3 true leaves, leaf pairs or whorls unfolded | |
| 1 . | Stages continuous till ... | |
| 19 | 9 or more true leaves, leaf pairs or whorls unfolded | |
| Principal growth stage 2: Formation of side shoots / tillering | ||
| 21 | First side shoot visible | |
| G | First tiller visible | |
| 22 | 2 side shoots visible | |
| G | 2 tillers visible | |
| 23 | 3 side shoots visible | |
| G | 3 tillers visible | |
| 2 . | Stages continuous till ... | |
| 29 | 9 or more side shoots visible | |
| G | 9 or more tillers visible | |
| Principal growth stage 3: Stem elongation /shoot development (main shoot) | ||
| 30 | Beginning of stem elongation | |
| G | Beginning of shooting | |
| 31 | 1 visibly extended internode | |
| G | 1 node stage | |
| 32 | 2 visibly extended internode; | |
| G | 2 node stage | |
| 33 | 3 visibly extended internode | |
| G | 3 node stage | |
| 3 . | Stages continuous till ... | |
| 39 | 9 or more visibly extended internodes | |
| G | 9 or more nodes | |
| Principal growth stage 4: vegetative propagation / booting (main shoot) | ||
| 40 | V | Vegetative reproductive organs begin to develop (rhizomes, stolons, tubers, runners, bulbs) |
| 41 | G | Flag leaf sheath extending |
| 42 | V | First young plant visible |
| 43 | G | Flag leaf sheath just visibly swollen (mid-boot) |
| 45 | G | Flag leaf sheath swollen (late-boot) |
| 47 | G | Flag leaf sheath opening |
| 49 | V | Constant new development of young plants; vegetative reproductive organs reach final size |
| G | First awns visible | |
| Principal growth stage 5: Inflorescence emergence (main shoot) / heading | ||
| 51 | Inflorescence or flower buds visible | |
| G | Beginning of heading | |
| 55 | First individual flowers visible (still closed) | |
| G | Half of inflorescence emerged (middle of heading) | |
| 59 | First flower petals visible (in petalled forms) | |
| G | Inflorescence fully emerged (end of heading) | |
| Principal growth stage 6: Flowering (main shoot) | ||
| 60 | First flowers open (sporadically) | |
| 61 | Beginning of flowering: 10% of flowers open | |
| 63 | 30% of flowers open | |
| 65 | Full flowering: 50% of flowers open, first petals may be fallen | |
| 67 | Flowering finishing: majority of petals fallen or dry | |
| 69 | End of flowering: fruit set visible | |
| Principal growth stage 7: Development of fruit | ||
| 71 | Fruits begin to develop | |
| G | Caryopsis watery ripe | |
| 79 | Nearly all fruits have reached final size normal for the species and location | |
| Principal growth stage 8: Ripening or maturity of fruit and seed | ||
| 81 | Beginning of ripening or fruit coloration | |
| 89 | Fully ripe | |
| Principal growth stage 9: Senescence, beginning of dormancy | ||
| 97 | End of leaf fall, plants or above ground parts dead or dormant; | |
| P, V | Plant resting or dormant | |
Hess, M.; G. Barralis, H. Bleiholder, L. Buhr, Th. Eggers, H. Hack, R. Stauss (1997). "Use of the extended BBCH-scale - general for the description of the growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous weed species.". Weed Research in press.