The Cereal Growth Staging Scale is a method used to categorize and track the development of cereal grains from plant emergence to maturity. It consists of eight stages ranging from germination (Stage 1) to full maturity (Stage 8). Each stage of the scale describes the development of the cereal grain, such as the emergence of the seedlings, the development of leaves and stems, and the production of grains. By tracking the development of the cereal grain throughout the growth stages, growers are able to determine the ideal time to harvest their crop.