Phenological growth stages of bael (Aegle marmelos) according to the extended Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie scale

ABSTRACT
Bael (Aegle marmelos) is an important rutaceous fruit widely cultivated in India. This crop is revered for its high economic and therapeutic value. However, its phenology has not yet been described systematically. Detailed description of phenological growth stages of bael using the extended Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale has been worked out and reported in this paper. Eight principal growth stages and 37 secondary growth stages for bud, leaf development, shoot growth, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, fruit maturation and senescence have been distinctively defined. The sequential progression of principal growth stages has been described according to the phenological growth pattern and climatic requirements of different phenophases. The extended BBCH scale is broadly applicable for bael cultivation as it describes all the phenophases pertaining to vegetative and reproductive stages. Because of the relative importance of phenophases in crop management and crop improvement, the BBCH scale will facilitate adoption of better crop management practices, crop improvement and characterisation of bael germplasm. Moreover, the extended BBCH scale will be a useful tool in assessing impact of climate change on crop yield and fruit quality.

Source: Annals of Applied Biology - March 15, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: K. Kishore, K.K. Mahanti, D. Samant Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research