Frost Damage (frost + damage)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Influence of previous frost damage on tree growth and insect herbivory of Eucalyptus globulus globulus

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Vivien P. Thomson
Abstract The plant stress hypothesis suggests that some herbivores favour stressed plants, whereas the plant vigour hypothesis proposes that other herbivores prefer vigorous plants. The effects of a prior stress, that of frost damage, were examined on the subsequent growth of Eucalyptus globulus globulus and on the response of insect herbivores. Frost damage affected tree growth by reducing new leaf area and increasing specific leaf area (SLA). However, herbivore abundance was not affected by prior frost damage. Two feeding trials using Anoplognathus chloropyrus and Hyalarcta huebneri and a morphometric study of Ctenarytaina eucalypti were conducted to assess the performance of herbivores on trees that had suffered more or less frost damage. Consumption by A. chloropyrus and H. huebneri was unaffected by foliage origin (damaged versus healthy). Hyalarcta huebneri grew faster when fed leaves from previously damaged trees, and C. eucalypti from previously damaged trees were larger than those from healthy trees. Enhanced insect performance on frost damaged plants may have resulted from the high specific leaf area (most likely thinner) leaves. The herbivore abundance data did not support the hypothesis that previously frost damaged plants are preferred by insects. However, increased growth of H. huebneri and larger body size of C. eucalypti on damaged trees indicates that previously stressed trees may produce leaves of higher nutritional value. [source]


Spring 2007 warmth and frost: phenology, damage and refoliation in a temperate deciduous forest

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2009
Carol K. Augspurger
Summary 1.,Climate change is predicted to bring earlier bud break and perhaps a greater risk of frost damage to developing leaves and flowers. Given the rarity and unpredictability of major frost events and limited community-level phenological observations, comparisons among deciduous forest species experiencing frost damage and refoliation are rare. 2.,This study used phenological observations ongoing at the time of a hard freeze to compare leaf and flower development, frost damage and leaf refoliation of 20 deciduous woody species in Trelease Woods, Champaign Co., IL, USA. Freezing temperatures from 5 to 9 April 2007 followed 22 days after very warm temperatures began in March. 3.,Bud break was the earliest in 17 years. Frost caused damage to leaf buds, developing shoots and/or expanding leaves of canopy trees of six species and saplings of two species. Undamaged species were inactive, or in bud break or shoot expansion. Among damaged species, 11,100% of individuals exhibited some frost damage. Mean damage level per individual ranged from 20% to 100% among species. 4.,Refoliation from dormant buds led to mean final canopy fullness that ranged from 46% to 99% among damaged species, but time of full leaf expansion was extended by 16,34 days for refoliating species. 5.,Frost damaged flowers, but not flower buds or developing fruit, of five of eight species that flowered during the frost period. 6.,The extent of frost damage in 2007 was unusual; damage was greater than any of the other 4 years with frost damage from 1993 to 2009 because record-breaking March temperatures in 2007 caused more species to be at later vulnerable stages with the advent of subfreezing temperatures in April. 7.,Differences among individuals and species in frost damage and ability to refoliate caused strong selection on individuals and differences in carbon gain that could, in the long-term, affect species' abundances. The frost also reduced fruit/seed abundance for insects and mammals. [source]


Modeling fluid saturated porous media under frost attack

GAMM - MITTEILUNGEN, Issue 1 2010
Tim Ricken
Abstract Freezing and thawing are important processes in civil engineering. On the one hand frost damage of porous building materials like road pavements and concrete in regions with periodical freezing is well known. On the other hand, artificial freezing techniques are widely used, e.g. for tunneling in non-cohesive soils and other underground constructions as well as for the protection of excavation and compartmentalization of contaminated tracts. Ice formation in porous media results from a coupled heat and mass transport and is accompanied by the ice expansion. The volume increase in space and time is assigned to the moving freezing front inside the porous solid. In this paper, a macroscopic ternary model is presented within the framework of the Theory of Porous Media (TPM) in view of the description of phase transition. For the mass exchange between ice and water an evolution equation based on the local balance of the heat flux vector is used. Examples illustrate the application of the model for saturated porous solids under thermal loading (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Agronomic performance and nutritive value of common and alternative grass and legume species in the Peruvian highlands

GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 2 2009
K. Bartl
Abstract The agronomic performance and nutritive value of twelve annual and perennial grasses and legumes were analysed in order to define alternatives to local forages for dry-season feeding of ruminants in the Peruvian Andes. There were twelve species and two fertilizer treatments (no fertilizer and a N;P;K fertilizer mainly applied at sowing) in an experiment with a randomized complete block design with three replicates at each of two sites. Plant height, soil cover by forage and weed species, frost damage, dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive value of herbage were evaluated in 2005 and 2006. Among the annual species, Hordeum vulgare L. cv. UNA 80 and ×Triticosecale Wittm. had the highest DM yields when fertilized (8226 and 6934 kg ha,1 respectively). Without fertilizer the alternative cultivars had similar DM yields to that of the local forages. Cultivars of Avena sativa L. had lower concentrations of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) (557 g kg,1 DM) and higher concentrations of predicted net energy for lactation (5·86 MJ kg,1 DM) than the other annual grass species (625 g kg,1 DM and 5·01 MJ kg,1 DM respectively), while the legumes were superior in concentrations of crude protein (277 g kg,1 DM) and NDF (362 g kg,1 DM). Considering the low agronomic performance of the perennial forages, a mixture of fertilized annual grasses and legumes appears the most appropriate approach to meeting the demand for forage of high nutritive value in the Peruvian highlands. [source]


Agronomic factors affecting the yield and quality of forage maize in Ireland: effect of sowing date and plastic film treatment

GRASS & FORAGE SCIENCE, Issue 1 2002
G. P. Keane
The objectives of these studies were to examine the effects of sowing date and plastic film on the yield and quality of forage maize (Zea mays L.) in Ireland, a marginal maize-growing area. In 1989,95, comparisons were made of maize sown through clear plastic film (PP treatment), and maize sown in the conventional manner without plastic (NP treatment), in terms of dry-matter (DM) yield and quality (cob, grain and starch contents). The PP treatment significantly increased DM yields in five years, with a mean yield increase of 3·10 t ha,1. Whole-plant DM content increased (significant in four years) by a mean of 0·15; cob content increased (significant in five years) by a mean of 0·32; grain content increased (significant in all of the three years examined) by 0·75; and starch content increased from 236 to 318 g kg,1 DM (P < 0·01) in 1995 where the plastic film treatment was used. Organic matter digestibility values were similar for both treatments in 1995. Sowing date in the April-May period had no consistent effect on DM yields, but early sowings did increase cob (significant, except in 1994), grain (significant in one (1995) of the two years tested) and starch (P < 0·05) contents (only tested in 1995). Sowing on 11 April 1995 through perforated plastic gave lower yields than the NP treatment sown on the same date, due to severe frost damage in early May. [source]


Use of chlorophyll fluorescence to evaluate the cold acclimation and freezing tolerance of winter and spring oats

PLANT BREEDING, Issue 5 2001
F. Rizza
Abstract The efficiency of the excitation capture by open Photosystem II (PSII) reaction centres was measured by the Fv/Fm ratios in a collection of winter and spring oats in order to assess the effects of hardening and freezing on the functionality of PSII and also the suitability of a chlorophyll fluorescence-based method to screen oat cultivars for frost tolerance. A significant reversible decrease in Fv/Fm was found in all genotypes during acclimation to low, non-freezing temperatures. Fv/Fm analysis appears to be an attractive test for the evaluation of frost tolerance in oats, being rapid, non-invasive and capable of monitoring a trait related to a crucial stage in the acquisition of frost tolerance. It is more sensitive and precise than other standard methods and highly correlated with field-evaluated frost damage. The measurements made during recovery 1 or 2 days after stress when the visual symptoms are not yet expressed, were especially advantageous because of the large variability in genotype response. The r-values (close to 0.8) were reduced due to the non-standard behaviour of the winter cultivar ,Aintree'. The cold acclimation response of this genotype has been analysed in detail and the limits of artificial freezing tests are discussed. [source]


Chemical characterization, energy values, protein and carbohydrate fractions, degradation kinetics of frost damaged wheat (with severely overall weight loss) in ruminants

ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2009
Peiqiang YU
ABSTRACT In Canada, frost damage can result in millions of tonnes of wheat that is not suitable for human consumption (such wheat is referred to as ,frozen') each year. There is a need to systematically evaluate the nutritive value of frozen wheat for ruminants. So far, little research has been conducted to determine the magnitude of the differences in nutritive value between frozen and normal wheat. The objectives of this study were to compare frozen wheat and normal wheat (AC Barrie) in terms of (i) chemical characteristics; (ii) protein and carbohydrate fractions; (iii) energy value; and (iv) rumen degradation kinetics. The results showed that the overall yield losses of the frozen wheat were around 24%. The frozen wheat was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in starch (47 vs. 62%DM), non-structural carbohydrates (60 vs. 70%DM), and non-protein N (63 vs. 93%SCP); and higher (P < 0.05) in crude fat (3 vs. 2%DM), acid (6 vs. 2%DM), neutral detergent fiber (22 vs. 10%DM), lignin (2 vs. 1%DM), acid (3 vs. 1%CP) and neutral detergent insoluble CP (19 vs. 14%CP). The frozen wheat was also lower in (P < 0.05) energy (TDN, DE3X, ME3X, NEL3X, DE4X, ME4X, NEL4X for dairy; ME, NEm, and NEg beef cattle). After partitioning of protein and carbohydrate (CHO) subfractions, the results showed that the frozen wheat was lower (P < 0.05) in the intermediately degradable CP (PB2: 47 vs. 59%CP); and higher in rapidly degradable CP (PB1: 12 vs. 2%CP) and unavailable CP (PC: 3 vs. 1%CP). The frozen wheat was also lower (P < 0.05) in intermediately degradable CHO (CB1: 60 vs. 77%CHO); and higher (P < 0.05) in slowly degradable CHO (CB2: 20 vs. 8%CHO) and unavailable CHO (CC: 5 vs. 2%CHO). The in situ results showed that the frozen wheat had different patterns in rumen degradation kinetics of protein and starch. The extent of the changes varied according to the specific nutrient examined. In conclusion, the frozen wheat differed in chemical characteristics, TDN and energy values, protein and carbohydrate fractions and in situ degradation behavior from normal wheat. The chemical and nutritional characterization of wheat was highly associated with climate condition (frost damage). The frost damage to the wheat reduced nutrient content and availability and thus reduced nutrient supply to ruminants. [source]


Influence of previous frost damage on tree growth and insect herbivory of Eucalyptus globulus globulus

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
Vivien P. Thomson
Abstract The plant stress hypothesis suggests that some herbivores favour stressed plants, whereas the plant vigour hypothesis proposes that other herbivores prefer vigorous plants. The effects of a prior stress, that of frost damage, were examined on the subsequent growth of Eucalyptus globulus globulus and on the response of insect herbivores. Frost damage affected tree growth by reducing new leaf area and increasing specific leaf area (SLA). However, herbivore abundance was not affected by prior frost damage. Two feeding trials using Anoplognathus chloropyrus and Hyalarcta huebneri and a morphometric study of Ctenarytaina eucalypti were conducted to assess the performance of herbivores on trees that had suffered more or less frost damage. Consumption by A. chloropyrus and H. huebneri was unaffected by foliage origin (damaged versus healthy). Hyalarcta huebneri grew faster when fed leaves from previously damaged trees, and C. eucalypti from previously damaged trees were larger than those from healthy trees. Enhanced insect performance on frost damaged plants may have resulted from the high specific leaf area (most likely thinner) leaves. The herbivore abundance data did not support the hypothesis that previously frost damaged plants are preferred by insects. However, increased growth of H. huebneri and larger body size of C. eucalypti on damaged trees indicates that previously stressed trees may produce leaves of higher nutritional value. [source]


Electrically heated cables protect vines from frost damage at early flowering

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF GRAPE AND WINE RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009
D.W. LAMB
Abstract Background and Aims:, Current methods of frost protection in vineyards involve fans, air heaters or sprinklers; each is limited by environmental constraints or available water. An alternative, all-electrical technique offers growers wider choice to match options with their vineyard operations. This study evaluates the ability of electrical heating cables, wrapped around the vine cordons, to protect inflorescences from frost damage. Methods and Results:, Five heating cable treatments in six replicates were applied to a 2-ha block of Sauvignon Blanc in the southern New England Region of Australia. Vines were subjected to a single ,3°C frost event in November 2006 when at approximately 30% capfall. Non-heated vines suffered 41% (Control) and 46% (No heat) inflorescence loss. Those subjected to Low heat suffered a 28% loss, Medium-heated vines suffered a 16% loss and High-heated vines suffered a 13% loss. Qualitative scoring of the vines indicated that more than half of the Medium-/High-heated vines suffered no appreciate damage, whereas all non-heated vines suffered some form of potential crop loss or damage. Conclusion:, Electrical heating cables of minimum 10 W/m power rating were found to significantly reduce frost damage to inflorescences at 30% capfall. Significance of the Study:, At approximately 43 kW/ha, electrical heating cable offers an alternative frost protection method for small vineyards. [source]