The Effect of Certain Environmental Factors on Cambium Temperatures of Peach Trees1

Abstract

Abstract These studies on the effect of climatic environment on cambium temperatures are indicative of why so much cold injury occurs in the Southeast. High cambium temperatures occurring in late winter as the result of solar radiation impinging on the bark of the trunk caused a loss of hardiness after the rest period had been broken. When these high daytime temperatures were followed by a rapid rate of fall to freezing temperatures at night, severe injury often resulted, which contributed greatly to shortening the life of peach trees. In addition, wind produced local cooling of the cambium tissue and, at critical air temperatures in late winter and early spring, was capable of causing severe cold damage. Trunk insulators modified the microclimate around the tree to the extent of preventing the extremes that made the trees less hardy and more subject to low temperature injury. Trunk cambium temperature appeared to be a sensitive indicator of tree vitality during growth. Trees with low vitality had higher cambium temperature than trees in good condition.