Factors Affecting Cold Injury of Sugarbeet Seedlings (Beta vulgaris L.)

Cary, J.W. (1975) Factors Affecting Cold Injury of Sugarbeet Seedlings (Beta vulgaris L.). Agronomy Journal. 67(2):258-262.

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Abstract

Sugarbeet seedlings (Beta vulgaris L.) may be killed
by Spring frost just as they emerge from the soil.
Possible solutions to this problem were investigated under
closely controlled laboratory and growth chamber conditions.
The seedlings were germinated at different temperatures
in contact with solutions containing both varying
osmotic pressures and compounds known to promote cold-hardiness
in other plants. Following germination, the
seedlings were frozen in blocks of ice at different minimum
temperatures and the degree of injury was noted.

The results indicated that two mechanisms were involved
in seedling survival. One was related to the
osmotic potential of the plant sap and the other to the
amount of water in the sap that could be converted to
ice without killing the seedlings. Seedling osmotic pressures
could be increased through the solution in contact
with the roots, while the tolerance for ice could be increased
with cool temperatures during germination. These
two factors had a strong positive interaction and could
reduce the normal lethal temperature from -0.5 to -2.5
C. Growth regulators and other compounds that have
been reported to increase cold-hardiness in other plants
were not effective.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0300
Subjects:	Irrigated crops > Sugarbeet Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:51
Last Modified:	15 Feb 2017 23:12
Item ID:	266
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/266