Midwinter Cold Hardiness Research Articles

333 Evaluation of New Elms from China for Stress Tolerance

The high resistance of Chinese elms to Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetles makes them excellent trees for the urban landscape. There are many new Chinese elms being developed through the tree breeding program at The Morton Arboretum. Many new elms are already on the market or will be available soon from nurseries. There is little known about the stress tolerance, e.g., cold, heat, drought, etc., of new elms from China. The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the midwinter cold hardiness of new Chinese elms and 2) to determine the leaf heat tolerance and stem cold hardiness of new elms from the nursery. The stem cold hardiness of nine new elms from China was evaluated in Feb. 1998 and 1999 from the elm breeding program at The Morton Arboretum by using an artificial freezing test. The LT50 (the temperature at which 50% of the tissues were killed) of the most to least hardy genuses for Feb. 1998 were Ulmus macrocarpa (> -36 °C), U. wilsoniana # 673 (-34 °C), U. parvifolia R-89-120 (-34 °C), U. wilsoniana # 669 (-34 °C), U. wilsoniana # 997 (-33.8 °C), U. szechuanica (-30 °C), U. gaussenii R-94-85D (-30.7 °C), U. bergmanniana var. lasiophylla R-9422SD (-27.7 °C), and U. castaneifolia #R-9411-11-SD (-25.9 °C). Four new elms from Schmidt Nursery, Boring, Ore., were also evaluated for leaf heat tolerance in August and cold hardiness in Dec. 1998 and Feb. 1999. The LT50 of cold hardiness of stem tissues of cultivars in December were U. parvifolia `Emer 1' P.P. 7551, Athena® elm (-23.5 °C), U. parvifolia `Emer 1' P.P. 7552 Allee® (-26.5 °C), U. Accolade™ (-33.5 °C), and U. Danada Charm™ elm (-31 °C). The LT50 of the most to least heat-tolerant cultivars were U. parvifolia `Emer 1' P.P. 7551, Athena® elm (53.8 °C), U. parvifolia `Emer 1' P.P. 7552 Allee® (52.1 °C), U. Accolade™ (50.8 °C), and U. Danada Charm™ elm (50.6 °C). Growth, dormancy development, spring budbreak, and performance of these cultivars will be compared.

Comparing Callus Growth with Discoloration and Electrical Conductivity as Measures of Stem Injury after Freezing Woody Plants

Most of 36 crabapple and 19 other woody plant taxa demonstrated the ability, when dormant, to grow a continuous row of callus along the cambial region on split-stem pieces within 5 to 7 days of incubation at 25 °C. The ability to grow callus after freezing tests was compared with discoloration and electrical conductivity for determining laboratory freeze injury to selected taxa. Hardiness levels were determined using the procedures of callus growth, discoloration, and electrical conductivity after freezing stem pieces of Jack crabapple [Malus baccata (L.) Borkh. `Jacki'], pink bud Sargent crabapple [M. sargentii Rehd. `Rosea'], Mary Potter crabapple [Malus sp. `Mary Potter'], and snowberry mountainash [Sorbus discolor (Maxim.) Maxim.]. Sampling dates for laboratory freezing tests were chosen to represent midwinter cold hardiness and partial hardiness of either late fall or early spring. There was a high correlation between discoloration and callus ratings for most plants; however, the two methods usually did not identify the same critical temperature (T50) for injury. The critical temperatures identified by callus growth was often 3 to 6 °C lower than for discoloration. For many taxa, callus growth was easier to see than discoloration of cambium and phloem, providing a less subjective evaluation of injury. TTC (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride) treatment was sometimes useful to identify callus growth that died after forming. The critical temperature (Tc), the highest temperature at which relative electrical conductivity differed significantly from the control temperature, was higher in most cases, indicating less cold hardiness than the T50 for callus and discoloration. The callus procedure may have value for evaluating injury to the cambial zone from freezing and other plant stresses because it determines the ability of the plant to continue growth.

Cold Hardiness in Two Interspecific Populus Hybrids

Cold hardiness was studied in two interspecific Populus hybrids (P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides, and P. trichocarpa × P. maxomowiscii), using laboratory freezing tests of mid-winter dormant tissues and fully expanded leaves in the autumn. These laboratory measurements were compared to field observations. Hybrids having one parent from southern-source populations and the other parent from northern sources were compared to hybrids in which both parents were from southern-source populations. Populus hybrids with one parent of northern origin were generally hardier than hybrids from parents of southern sources; however, significant differences in cold hardiness were detected between hybrids having the same genetic parents. Field observations generally supported laboratory measurements and showed clonal differences in mid-winter cold hardiness and autumn leaf frost tolerance. Fully expanded leaves of different clones from the same parent also exhibited differences in frost tolerance.

Cold Hardiness Estimates of Acer L. Taxa

Abstract The cold hardiness of eleven Acer taxa was determined by laboratory techniques. The red leaf cultivars of A. platanoides were less cold hardy than the green leaf ‘Emerald Queen.’ ‘Crimson Sentry,’ a branch sport of ‘Crimson King,’ exhibited similar cold hardiness to that of its parent. Among A. saccharum cultivars, ‘Legacy’ was the most cold hardy followed by ‘Green Mountain,’ ‘Commemoration’ and ‘Bonfire.’ ‘Green Column,’ a selection of black maple from a native Iowa population, developed −30°C (−22°F) midwinter cold hardiness but lost all cold hardiness [killed at −3°C (27°F)] by March. All sugar maple cultivars survived at least −9°C (16°F) on the March date. Of the hybrids of Acer platanoides and A. truncatum, Pacific Sunset™ was significantly more cold hardy than Norwegian Sunset™ and should be rated USDA Zone 4 and 5, respectively.

SURVEY OF RUBUS COLD HARDINESS

Stem and bud tissues of promocanes from more than 260 Rubus genotypes were evaluated for mid-winter cold hardiness after laboratory freezing in January 1990. T50 values were calculated for cane samples of red, yellow, black and purple raspberry, and blackberry cultivars, hybrids and species. Red raspberries exhibited the hardiest stem tissue, although several purple raspberries (Rubus sp. cvs. Brandywine, Royalty) survived as low as -33 C. Fall fruiting red raspberries, such as R. idaeus L. cvs. Zeva Remontante, Indian Summer, St. Regis, and Fallred, survived from -23 to -25 C. Summer-bearing cultivars, Canby and Puyallup, survived to -30 C. Stems of several black raspberries (R. occidentalis L. cvs. New Logan, Bristol) survived to -27 C. Stems of the hardiest blackberry cultivars, (R. sp. cvs. Black Satin, Smoothstem) survived to -22 C. In most genotypes the region of the bud at the axis of the stem was less hardy than tissues within the bud scales. Buds tissue was 2 to 10 C less hardy than stem tissue. Field plants were also visually rated for cold injury following record low temperatures occurring in 1989, 1990, and 1991.

Acclimation and Low-temperature Tolerance of Eight Woody Taxa

Abstract Timing and rate of acclimation and maximum low-temperature survival of eight woody taxa were determined over six sample dates from 25 Aug. 1987 to 25 Apr. 1988. Four cultivars of Acer rubrum L. (red maple) acclimated at different rates and attained different levels of midwinter cold hardiness. ‘Red Sunset’ (RS) and ‘October Glory’ (OG), northern selections, acclimated at faster rates and attained greater degrees of cold hardiness than ‘Journalism Psychology’ (JP) and ‘Upright Crown’ (UC) selected from southern seed sources. Maximum cold hardiness levels were −8C (JP), −23C (UC), −29C (RS), and −29C (OG). Amelanchier arborea (Michx. f.) Fern, (downy serviceberry) and Quercus coccinea Muenchh. (scarlet oak) developed midwinter hardiness of less than −29C and −20C, respectively. Illicium floridanum Ellis (Florida anise) and Illicium parviflorum Michx. (small anise) developed −26C and −20C midwinter hardiness, respectively. According to our data, woody taxa should be evaluated for timing and rates of acclimation and low-temperature tolerances, since performance will vary from one geographic area to another, depending on photoperiod, the timing of fall freezes, and midwinter temperatures.

Effect of Paclobutrazol on the Vegetative Growth, Yield, Quality, and Winterhardiness of Buds of ‘Concord’ Grape

Abstract Paclobutrazol, trunk-applied at 3 stages of vine growth, reduced the shoot length of Vitis labruscana Bailey ‘Concord’ vines. Budbreak was delayed by 3-5 days in treated vines compared to controls. There was no effect of treatments on pruning weight, fruit quality, and midwinter cold hardiness of buds. Chemical names used: β-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-α-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-1-ethanol (paclobutrazol).