Sub-zero survival: revealing how plants freeze

Authors: Livingston, David; Wisniewski, Michael

Submitted to: Scientia Global
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2018
Publication Date: 3/12/2018
Citation: Livingston, D.P., Wisniewski, M.E. 2018. Sub-zero survival: revealing how plants freeze. Scientia Global. https://doi.org//10.26320/SCIENTIA159.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26320/SCIENTIA159

Interpretive Summary: In temperate climates, many actively growing plants are not adapted to long periods of freezing weather, and will typically die if they freeze or remain frozen for too long. This isn’t always the case though – over centuries, farmers have gained a deep knowledge of which crops they are able to plant over the winter. Grains such as wheat, and root vegetables, are ideal candidates, and have ensured the survival of many civilizations over harsh winters. However, as the Earth’s climate changes, the ability of plants to adapt is becoming more complicated. Increasingly frequent weather extremes mean that periods of warmer weather, particularly in late winter and early spring, are increasingly interspersed with harsh cold snaps, pushing the coping mechanisms of winter crops to extremes – a cause for concern for farmers. One solution to this problem could lie in the breeding of better adapted varieties. Studies have revealed that different varieties of crops resist freezing in different ways. While some may ensure their seeds remain alive over winter, others will see their leaves and shoots coming back strong after being frozen. Yet in order to breed crops with multiple mechanisms for tolerating freezes, a detailed knowledge of the freezing process in plants is needed.

Technical Abstract: In temperate climates, many actively growing plants are not adapted to long periods of freezing weather, and will typically die if they freeze or remain frozen for too long. This isn’t always the case though – over centuries, farmers have gained a deep knowledge of which crops they are able to plant over the winter. Grains such as wheat, and root vegetables, are ideal candidates, and have ensured the survival of many civilizations over harsh winters. However, as the Earth’s climate changes, the ability of plants to adapt is becoming more complicated. Increasingly frequent weather extremes mean that periods of warmer weather, particularly in late winter and early spring, are increasingly interspersed with harsh cold snaps, pushing the coping mechanisms of winter crops to extremes – a cause for concern for farmers. One solution to this problem could lie in the breeding of better adapted varieties. Studies have revealed that different varieties of crops resist freezing in different ways. While some may ensure their seeds remain alive over winter, others will see their leaves and shoots coming back strong after being frozen. Yet in order to breed crops with multiple mechanisms for tolerating freezes, a detailed knowledge of the freezing process in plants is needed.