# BBCH-scale (rice)

The BBCH-scale (rice) identifies the phenological development stages of rice Oryza sativa. It is a plant species specific version of the BBCH-scale.
| Growth stage | Code | Description |
| 0: Germination | 00 | Dry seed (caryopsis) |
| 0: Germination | 01 | Beginning of seed imbibition |
| 0: Germination | 03 | Seed imbibition complete (pigeon breast) |
| 0: Germination | 05 | Radicle emerged from caryopsis |
| 0: Germination | 06 | Radicle elongated, root hairs and/or side roots visible |
| 0: Germination | 07 | Coleoptile emerged from caryopsis (in water-rice this stage occurs before stage 05) |
| 0: Germination | 09 | Imperfect leaf emerges (still rolled) at the tip of the coleoptile |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 10 | Imperfect leaf unrolled, tip of first true leaf visible |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 11 | First leaf unfolded |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 12 | 2 leaves unfolded |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 13 | 3 leaves unfolded |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 1 . | Stages continuous till ... |
| 1: Leaf development$^{1,2}$ | 19 | 9 or more leaves unfolded |
| 2: Tillering3 | 21 | Beginning of tillering: first tiller detectable |
| 2: Tillering3 | 22 | 2 tillers detectable |
| 2: Tillering3 | 23 | 3 tillers detectable |
| 2: Tillering3 | 2 . | Stages continuous till ... |
| 2: Tillering3 | 29 | Maximum number of tillers detectable |
| 3: Stem elongation$^3$ | 30 | Panicle initiation or green ring stage: chlorophyll accumulates in the stem tissue, forming a green ring |
| 3: Stem elongation$^3$ | 32 | Panicle formation: panicle 1–2 mm in length |
| 3: Stem elongation$^3$ | 34 | Internode elongation or jointing stage: internodes begin to elongate, panicle more than 2 mm long (variety-dependent) |
| 3: Stem elongation$^3$ | 37 | Flag leaf just visible, still rolled, panicle moving upwards |
| 3: Stem elongation$^3$ | 39 | Flag leaf stage: flag leaf unfolded, collar regions (auricle and ligule) of flag leaf and penultimate leaf aligned (pre-boot stage) |
| 4: Booting | 41 | Early boot stage: upper part of stem slightly thickened, sheath of flag leaf about 5 cm out of penultimate leaf sheath |
| 4: Booting | 43 | Mid boot stage: sheath of flag leaf 5–10 cm out of the penultimate leaf sheath |
| 4: Booting | 45 | Late boot stage: flag leaf sheath swollen, sheath of flag leaf more than 10 cm out of penultimate leaf sheath |
| 4: Booting | 47 | Flag leaf sheath opening |
| 4: Booting | 49 | Flag leaf sheath open |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 51 | Beginning of panicle emergence: tip of inflorescence emerged from sheath |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 52 | 20% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 53 | 30% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 54 | 40% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 55 | Middle of panicle emergence: neck node still in sheath |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 56 | 60% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 57 | 70% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 58 | 80% of panicle emerged |
| 5: Inflorescence emergence, heading$^4$ | 59 | End of panicle emergence: neck node level with the flag leaf auricle, anthers not yet visible |
| 6: Flowering, anthesis | 61 | Beginning of flowering: anthers visible at top of panicle |
| 6: Flowering, anthesis | 65 | Full flowering: anthers visible on most spikelets |
| 6: Flowering, anthesis | 69 | End of flowering: all spikelets have completed flowering but some dehydrated anthers may remain |
| 7: Development of fruit | 71 | Watery ripe: first grains have reached half their final size |
| 7: Development of fruit | 73 | Early milk |
| 7: Development of fruit | 75 | Medium milk: grain content milky |
| 7: Development of fruit | 77 | Late milk |
| 8: Ripening | 83 | Early dough |
| 8: Ripening | 85 | Soft dough: grain content soft but dry, fingernail impression not held, grains and glumes still green |
| 8: Ripening | 87 | Hard dough: grain content solid, fingernail impression held |
| 8: Ripening | 89 | Fully ripe: grain hard, difficult to divide with thumbnail |
| 9: Senescence | 92 | Over-ripe: grain very hard, cannot be dented by thumbnail |
| 9: Senescence | 97 | Plant dead and collapsing |
| 9: Senescence | 99 | Harvested product |
1 A leaf is unfolded when its ligule is visible or the tip of the next leaf is visible 2 Tillering or stem elongation may occur earlier than stage 13; in this case continue with stages 21 or 30 3 If stem elongation begins before the end of tillering continue with stage 30 4 Flowering usually starts before stage 55; continue with principal stage 6