BBCH-scale (cucurbit)

In biology, the BBCH-scale for cucurbits describes the phenological development of cucurbits, such as cucumber, melon, pumpkin, marrow, squash, calabash and watermelon, using the BBCH-scale.

The phenological growth stages and BBCH-identification keys of cucurbits are:

Growth stage	Code		Description
	2 digits	3 digits
0: Germination	00	000	Dry seed
	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: cotyledons break through soil surface
1: Leaf development	10	100	Cotyledons completely unfolded
	11	101	First true leaf on main stem fully unfolded
	12	102	2nd true leaf on main stem unfolded
	13	103	3rd true leaf on main stem unfolded
	1 .	10 .	Stages continuous till ...
	19	109	9 or more leaves on main stem unfolded (2digit) 9th leaf unfolded on main stem (3digit)
	–	110	10th leaf on main stem unfolded
	–	11 .	Stages continuous till ...
	–	119	19th leaf on main stem unfolded
2: Formation of side shoots	21	201	First primary side shoot visible
	22	202	2nd primary side shoot visible
	2 .	20 .	Stages continuous till ...
	29	209	9 or more primary side shoots visible
	–	221	First secondary side shoot visible
	–	22 .	Stages continuous till ...
	–	229	9th secondary side shoot visible
	–	231	First tertiary side shoot visible
5: Inflorescence emergence	51	501	First flower initial with elongated ovary visible on main stem
	52	502	2nd flower initial with elongated ovary visible on main stem
	53	503	3rd flower initial with elongated ovary visible on main stem
	5 .	50 .	Stages continuous till ...
	59	509	9 or more flower initials with elongated ovary already visible on main stem
	–	510	10 or more flower initials with elongated ovary already visible on main stem
	–	51 .	Stages continuous till ...
	–	519	19 ore more flower initials with elongated ovary already visible on main stem
	–	521	First flower initial visible on a secondary side shoot
	–	531	First flower initial visible on a tertiary side shoot
6: Flowering	61	601	First flower open on main stem
	62	602	2nd flower open on main stem
	63	603	3rd flower open on main stem
	6 .	60 .	Stages continuous till ...
	69	609	9th flower open on main stem or 9 flowers on main stem already open
	–	610	10th flower open on main stem or 10 flowers on main stem already open
	–	61 .	Stages continuous till ...
	–	619	19th flower open on man stem ore more than 19 flowers on main stem already open
	–	621	First flower on secondary side shoot open
	–	631	First flower on tertiary side shoot open
7: Development of fruit	71	701	First fruit on main stem has reached typical size and form
	72	702	2nd fruit on main stem has reached typical size and form
	73	703	3rd fruit on main stem has reached typical size and form
	7 .	70 .	Stages continuous till ...
	79	709	9 or more fruits on main stem has reached typical size and form
	–	721	First fruit on a secondary side shoot has reached typical size and form
	–	731	First fruit on a tertiary side shoot has reached typical size and form
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 colour
9: Senescence	97	907	Plants dead
	99	909	Harvested product (seeds)

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: II. Fruchtgemüse und Hülsenfrüchte. Nachrichtenbl. Deut". Pflanzenschutzd. 47: 217–232.