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Growth Stages
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This identification system divides plant development into vegetative (V) and reproductive (R) stages. With the exception of the first two stages, the (V) stages are designated numerically as V1, V2, V3, etc. through V(n) where (n) represents the number for the last node stage of a specific variety. The (n) will fluctuate with variety and environmental differences. The eight R stages are simply designated numerically.

The V stages following VC are numbered according to the uppermost fully developed leaf node. Start with the unifoliolate leaf node when counting the number of fully developed leaf nodes. A leaf node is fully developed when the leaf above it has leaflets which are fully unrolled. That is, the leaflet edges are no longer touching.

Vegetative Stages
Stage	Description
VE	Emergence
VC	Cotyledon
V1	Unifoliolate and first trifoliolate leaves are fully developed
V2	Unifoliolate and first two trifoliolate leaves are fully developed
V3	Unifoliolate and first three trifoliolate leaves are fully developed
V(n)	Unifoliolate and (n) trifoliolate leaves are fully developed

Reproductive Stages
Stage	Description
R1	Open flower at any node on the main stem
R2	Open flower at one of the two uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R3	Pod is 5 mm (3/16 inch) long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R4	Pod is 2 cm (3/4 inch) long at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R5	Seed is 3 mm (1/8 inch) long in the pod at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R6	Pod containing a green seed that fills the pod cavity at one of the four uppermost nodes on the main stem with a fully developed leaf
R7	One normal pod on the main stem that has reached its mature pod color
R8	95% of the pods have reached their mature pod color