Phenological Growth Stages of Abelmoschus manihot: Codification and Description According to the BBCH Scale

Abstract

Abelmoschus manihot L. (A. manihot) has received more and more attention due to its potential edible and medicinal value. It shows higher yield and related fine agronomic traits suitable for disadvantaged areas and low-input planting. However, a systemic description of the phenological growth stages of A. manihot, an alternative, multipurpose crop of worldwide interest, does not exist. This study aims to detail the phenological growth stages of A. manihot based on the BBCH scale. Nine principal growth stages were described from seed germination to senescence, along with 69 secondary growth stages, including germination, leaf development, formation of side shoots, primary stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, maturation of fruit and seed, and senescence. However, the morphology and structure of A. manihot become complex with growth, and some growth stages, like inflorescence development, flowering, fruit development, and fruit maturation, overlap totally or partially with each other. Thus, the three-digit scale is considered necessary for a complementary description of these growth stages and illustrations for clarification. Moreover, the unique morphology and structure features of the pistil, stamen, and ovary and the development process of fruits and seeds were described in detail at different stages. The basic and extended BBCH scales will add new information on defining and identifying A. manihot phenological growth stages. They will help farmers efficiently schedule and manage A. manihot cultivation and improve knowledge dissemination among growers and researchers.

The Variations of C/N/P Stoichiometry, Endogenous Hormones, and Non-Structural Carbohydrate Contents in Micheliamaudiae ‘Rubicunda’ Flower at Five Development Stages

“…The fresh flowers were harvested in the early morning (08:00−11:00am). Referring to the Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundes-sortenamt, and Chemische Industrie(BBCH) scales [27,28], M. maudiae 'Rubicunda' flower development is divided into five stages, including green bud stage (S1), mature flower budstage (S2), early bloomingstage (S3), fully opened flower stage (S4), and senescent flowerstage(S5) (Figures 1A and 2B). At each stage, buds and flowersfrom ten trees were randomly selected, numbered, photographed, and measured.…”

Nutrient Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Cercis chinensis Flower in Response to Different Development Stages

“…From March 2023 to May 2023, samples every 20 days were collected from more than three trees at the campus of Sichuan Agricultural University in Wenjiang District, Chengdu, China. The Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundes-sortenamt and Chemische Industrie scales (BBCH) represent a unified coding system for describing phenologically similar growth stages in mono-and dicotyledonous plants [22]. Referring to the BBCH edited by Mishchenko and Rana et al [23,24], the flower development of C. chinensis was coded.…”