Abstract
Abstract Laboratory and orchard studies were designed to determine the critical temperatures at which injury to flowers of sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L. cv. Montmorency) occurred during spring development. In laboratory freezing tests, the temperature at which 50% of the flowers were killed (LT50) rose rapidly as the buds swelled, reaching −5°C just prior to separation of the bud scales and −3° at full bloom. Comparison of orchard minima with subsequent injury indicated greater sensitivity of unopened buds, but lower sensitivity of expanding flowers, in comparison with laboratory values. Limited comparisons indicated no consistent effect of previous temperatures upon bud hardiness. On the basis of these observations, growers with orchard heating equipment should not permit temperatures to fall below −2° once buds reach the “water bud” stage (40 to 50 mg fresh weight per bud).
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