Application of extended BBCH scale for studying the development of Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth

Phacelia tanacetifolia is a fast‐growing crop from the family of Hydrophyllaceae that can be grown as an intercrop or also as a main crop, especially for the production of seed. It is grown both for fodder and for green manure and it is also an excellent melliferous plant. As it has no relation to other cultivated crops, it is suitable as a break crop in rotation. Despite its agrotechnological significance, no detailed study of its phenological development and detailed characterisation of growth stages have been published so far. The precise description of growth stages is a tool very useful not only for farmers but also for researchers. This paper presents a detailed characterisation of the development of P. tanacetifolia from germination to senescence. Based on research results, a characterisation of phenological growth stages is proposed using the extended BBCH scale. Individual methods of the evaluation of growth stages in plants are discussed and possibilities are assessed for using these methods in evaluating the development of P. tanacetifolia. The individual phenological growth stages of P. tanacetifolia are described using both the two‐ and three‐digit BBCH coding system. Schematic drawings illustrating the most representative growth stages are presented, too. Phacelia tanacetifolia is grown both for fodder and for green manure and it is also an excellent melliferous plant. Precise description of growth stages is a tool very useful not only for farmers but also for researchers. This paper presents a detailed characterization of the development of P. tanacetifolia from germination to senescence. Based on research results, a characterization of phenological growth stages is proposed using the extended BBCH scale. Schematic drawings illustrating the most representative growth stages are presented, too.