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Frost Tolerance (% Survival) of Wheat, Barley and Oats

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Frost Tolerance (% Survival) of Wheat, Barley and Oats

TEMPERATURE (F)

    25   21   18   14
Cultivar -* * -   -   -  
       

Survival

       
Wheat                
Benito 100 100 100 95 93 23 60 10
Glenlea 100 100 90 100 73 65 56 40
Katepwa 100 100 100 91 89 85 55 44
Leader 100 100 100 95 83 72 71 67
Neepawa 100 100 100 91 95 68 61 26
Mean (n=160) 100a 100a 99a 95a 77a 65b 64b 33c
Barley                
Bonanza 100 96 100 76 88 44 0 0
Klages 100 100 96 64 83 37 0 0
Klondike 100 100 100 55 77 90 0 0
Melvin 100 100 100 27 76 82 0 0
Argyle 100 100 93 30 60 78 0 0
Mean (n=160) 100a 99a 95a 57b 79a 64b 0c 0c
Oats                
Dumont 100 90 100 73 89 45 52 23
Harmon 100 91 100 60 91 38 60 50
Kelsey 100 83 100 28 71 26 81 20
Mean (n=120) 100a 88a 100a 44c 83a 42c 63b 27c

*- = plants sprayed with distilled water;

*+ = plants sprayed with ice-nucleating active bacteria.

a-c means in the same row followed by the same letter are not significantly different (P = 0.05)

The information above was taken from research conducted in a greenhouse and the plants were exposed to the freezing temperatures in small pots. Whether or not this information can be related directly to the field is not known. Small grains have adapted to cool temperatures beyond leaf tolerance to frost. The growing point in small grains is located below the soil level until the jointing stage of growth. Usually the soil temperature does not drop as low as the air temperature and the below soil plant parts are protected.

Adapted from Gusta and O'Connor, 1987.