Phenological growth stages and the extended BBCH scale for djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.)
摘要
Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.) is a cultivated chenopod originally from Taiwan and is comparable to quinoa. Its strikingly colorful infructescences, nutrient-rich grains, and remarkable adaptability to arid environments make it a highly valuable future crop. However, no universally accepted phenological growth stage code has been reported. Here, we established the experimental plots, conducted thorough observations, recognized the phenological growth stages, and provided the first detailed descriptions of each growth stage using the bi-numeric Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und CHemische Industrie (BBCH) codes for djulis. Totally, nine principal BBCH growth stages––including the germination, leaf development, formation of side shoots, stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, development of fruit, ripening, and senescence stages––along with 39 secondary stages, were identified and characterized. The significant differences in growth stages between djulis and quinoa are also pointed out, with detailed and in-depth descriptions in the discussion. This BBCH code is expected to facilitate effective agricultural management, improve adaptive research precision, enhance inbreeding efforts, broaden applications, and assist studies aimed at genotype diversity in djulis.