Phenological observations in dendrological collections: motivation for the use of the universal coding “BBCH scale”

Authors

  • Olga Pokhylchenko
  • Oleksiy Gorelov
  • Natalia Dovhalyuk
  • Tetyana Kozubenko
  • Yuliya Kruglyak
  • Oleksandr Paraschuk

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37555/2707-3114.20.2024.318688

Keywords:

phenological phases, phenological networks, codding of growth stages, growth stages depictions.

Abstract

Aims. The work has aimed to demonstrate similarities and differences in description and coding of phases, as well as rules for traditional phenological observation methods in botanical gardens of Ukraine versus the universal BBCH scale. The BBCH scale is a seasonal plant development phase coding scale used in all countries that were not part of the USSR. This coding allows obtaining data suitable for compiling large databases. The application of its principles will allow the creation of Ukrainian network of phenological observations. Methods. The authors' personal experience in changing the coding of seasonal development phases for different systematic groups' plants from alphanumeric coding (Rakhmetov, 2011; Yaroslavtsev et al., 1973) to BBCH decimal scale (Meier, 2001) made it possible to analyze the similarities and differences of two approaches in detail. Results. The same seasonal states of plants, recorded during phenological observations, as well as phase discrepancies in different scales were revealed by comparing the descriptions of the phases. Detailed photos of phases were made and observation phases' schemes were prepared for seven plant species of different systematic groups (Alnus incana (L.)
Moench, Philadelphus coronarius L., Picea abies (L.) H.Karst., Rosa canina L., Syringa vulgaris L., Tetradium daniellii (Benn.) T.G.Hartley, Thuja occidentalis L.)
which are included in the phenological observations route of the dendrology department of the M. M. Hryshko National Botanical Garden. Conclusions.
A successful organization of phenological observations and their unification between networks imply some important conditions to be met: creation an observation route, involving experienced specialists, and applying a unified scale. Authors propose corresponding Ukrainian analogues of seasonal development phases for woody plants in different systematic groups according to the BBCH scale. As demonstrated, this will facilitate the alignment of plants’ growth stages with the scales traditional in Ukrainian botanical gardens developed in the middle of the last century. Using of the BBCH scale will allow adding the obtained by Ukrainian specialists’ data to large databases.

Published

2024-12-23

How to Cite

Pokhylchenko, O., Gorelov, O., Dovhalyuk, N., Kozubenko, T., Kruglyak, Y., & Paraschuk, O. . (2024). Phenological observations in dendrological collections: motivation for the use of the universal coding “BBCH scale”. Journal of Native and Alien Plant Studies, (20), 176–197. https://doi.org/10.37555/2707-3114.20.2024.318688

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