BBCH-scale (olive)

In biology, the BBCH-scale for olive describes the phenological development of olive trees using the BBCH-scale.

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

Growth stage	Code	Description
0: Bud development	00	Foliar buds at the apex of shoots grown the previous crop-year are completely closed, sharp-pointed, stemless and ochre-coloured.
	01	Foliar buds start to swell and open, showing the new foliar primordia.
	03	Foliar buds lengthen and separate from the base.
	07	External small leaves open, not completely separated, remaining joined by apices.
	09	External small leaves opening further with their tips inter crossing.
1: Leaf development	11	First leaves completely separated. Grey-greenish coloured.
	15	The leaves are more separated without reaching their final size. First leaves turn greenish on the upperside.
	19	Leaves get the typical variety size and shape.
3: Shoot development	31	Shoots reach 10% of final size.
	33	Shoots reach 30% of final size.
	37	Shoots reach 70% of final size.
5: Inflorescence emergence.	50	Inflorescence buds in leaf axiles are completely closed. They are sharp-pointed, stemless and ochre-coloured.
	51	Inflorescence buds start to swell on its stem.
	52	Inflorescence buds open. Flower cluster development starts.
	54	Flower cluster growing
	55	Flower cluster totally expanded. Floral buds start to open.
	57	The corolla, green-coloured, is longer than calyx.
	59	The corolla changes from green to white colour.
6: Flowering	60	First flowers open.
	61	Beginning of flowering: 10% of flowers open.
	65	Full flowering: at least 50% of flowers open.
	67	First petals falling.
	68	Majority of petals fallen or faded.
	69	End of flowering, fruit set, non-fertilized ovaries fallen.
7: Fruit development	71	Fruit size about 10% of final size.
	75	Fruit size about 50% of final size. Stone starts to lignificate (it shows cutting resistance).
	79	Fruit size about 90% of final size. Fruit suitable for picking green olives.
8: Maturity of fruit	80	Fruit deep green colour becomes light green, yellowish.
	81	Beginning of fruit colouring.
	85	Increasing of specific fruit colouring.
	89	Harvest maturity: fruits get the typical variety colour, remaining turgid, suitable for oil extraction.
9: Senescence	92	Overripe: fruits lose turgidity and start to fall.