Phenological growth stages of African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)

The aim of this paper was to study the phenology of commercially cultivated representative genotypes of the Elaeis guineensis Jacq. species in two Colombian growing areas. The frequency of observations was daily, weekly or monthly depending on the stage of development under evaluation, over an 18‐month time period. Observations were made on prenursery and nursery plants and on three‐ to five‐year‐old palms starting from the zero leaf (spear leaf), through development of inflorescence, and ending with maturity and harvesting of fruit bunches. Stem observations were made on different age palms of the same cultivars. The duration of each phenological stage was measured in terms of days. The phenological growth stages were coded according to the BBCH scale (Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie), consisting of three digits, because of the inclusion of intermediate stages between the principal and secondary stages in order to provide more accurate details on each development stage.