BBCH-scale

{{Short description|Horticultural tool used to identify the phenological development stages of plants}}

The BBCH-scale is used to identify the phenological development stages of plants.{{cite journal

| last = Meier

| first = U.

| title = Growth stages of mono- and dicotyledonous plants

| journal = BBCH Monograph

| date = 2001

| doi = 10.5073/bbch0515

| url = https://ojs.openagrar.de/index.php/BBCH/article/view/515

| access-date = 2018-10-15

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181015152947/https://ojs.openagrar.de/index.php/BBCH/article/view/515

| archive-date = 2018-10-15

| url-status = dead

}} BBCH-scales have been developed for a range of crop species where similar growth stages of each plant are given the same code.

Phenological development stages of plants are used in a number of scientific disciplines (crop physiology, phytopathology, entomology and plant breeding) and in the agriculture industry (risk assessment of pesticides, timing of pesticide application, fertilization, agricultural insurance). The BBCH-scale uses a decimal code system, which is divided into principal and secondary growth stages, and is based on the cereal code system (Zadoks scale) developed by Jan Zadoks.

{{cite journal

| last = Zadoks

| first = J.C. |author2=T.T. Chang |author3=C.F. Konzak

| title = A decimal code for the growth stages of cereals.

| journal = Weed Research

| volume = 14

| pages = 415–421

| date = 1974

| doi = 10.1111/j.1365-3180.1974.tb01084.x

| issue = 6

}}

The abbreviation BBCH derives from the names of the originally participating stakeholders: "Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und CHemische Industrie". Allegedly, the abbreviation is said to unofficially represent the four companies that initially sponsored its development; Bayer, BASF, Ciba-Geigy, and Hoechst.{{cite web|title=E-Notes|url=http://www.enotes.com/topic/BBCH-scale|publisher=E-Notes}}