Zadoks growth scale

Page last updated: Thursday, 18 January 2018 - 3:39pm

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3 - Stem elongation

Generally count swollen nodes that can be felt on the main stem. Report if dissection is used.

  • 30 - Pseudostem (youngest leaf sheath erection)
  • 31 - First node detectable
  • 32 - Second node detectable
  • 33 - Third node detectable
  • 34 - Fouth node detectable
  • 35 - Fifth node detectable
  • 36 - Sixth node detectable
  • 37 - Flag leaf just visible
  • 39 - Flag leaf ligule just visible

4 - Booting

Score the appearance of the sheath of the flag leaf.

  • 41 - Flag leaf sheath extending
  • 43 - Boots just visible swollen
  • 45 - Boots swollen
  • 47 - Flag leaf sheath opening
  • 49 - First awns visible

5 - Ear emergence from boot

  • 51 - Tip of ear just visible
  • 53 - Ear quarter emerged
  • 55 - Ear half emerged
  • 57 - Ear three quarters emerged
  • 59 - Ear emergence complete

6 - Anthesis (flowering)

Generally scored by noting hte presence of emerged anthers.

  • 61 - Beginning of anthesis (few anthers at middle of ear)
  • 65 - Anthesis half-way (anthers occurring half way to tip and base of ear)
  • 69 - Anthesis complete

7 - Milk development

Score starch development in the watery kernel.

  • 71 - Kernel water ripe (no starch)
  • 73 - Early milk
  • 75 - Medium milk
  • 77 - Late milk

8 - Dough development

Kernel no longer watery but still soft and dough-like.

  • 83 - Early dough
  • 85 - Soft dough
  • 87 - Hard dough

9 - Ripening

  • 91 - Grain hard, difficult to divide
  • 92 - Grain hard, not dented by thumbnail
  • 93 - Grain loosening in daytime
  • 94 - Over-ripe straw dead and collapsing
  • 95 - Seed dormant
  • 96 - Viable seed giving 50% germination
  • 97 - Seed not dormant
  • 98 - Secondary dormancy induced
  • 99 - Secondary dormancy lost