Description of phenological growth stages of elephant foot yam ( <i>Amorphophallus paeoniifolius</i> [Dennst.] Nicolson) using the <scp>BBCH</scp> ‐scale

Abstract Elephant foot yam ( Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson) is a tropical tuber crop that is primarily cultivated for its edible corm. This crop has enormous production capacity, making it both a popular food and a lucrative cash crop. However, its phenology has not yet been fully elucidated. This research presents a detailed description of the phenological growth stages of elephant foot yam using the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale. Eight primary growth stages such as germination (stage 0), leaf/pseudo stem development (stage 1), tuber development (stage 4), inflorescence emergence (stage 5), flowering (stage 6), fruit growth (stage 7), fruit maturity (stage 8), and senescence (stage 9) have been specifically identified. The phenological development pattern of various phenophases has been used to characterise the sequential evolution of key growth stages. The BBCH scale has many applications in elephant foot yam cultivation since it encompasses all phenophases associated with the vegetative and reproductive stages. Due to the relative significance of phenophases in crop improvement and management, the BBCH scale will help to provide a standardised method to assist agronomists, breeders, germplasm curators, and researchers in effectively managing, developing, and conserving the genetic resources of this new crop.