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Stems of 33 varieties of Viburnum were screened for low temperature tolerance on five dates. Terminal stem cuttings were shipped overnight to Orono, Maine, from Oregon, Michigan, and Minnesota. Following a controlled freezing regime, stems were incubated for 7–14 days and evaluated for injury by visual observation. Lowest survival temperatures (LST) were estimated as the lowest temperature at which 100% of stems were uninjured. Varieties of V. dentatum, V. lantana, V. opulus, and V. trilobum were rated as consistently very cold tolerant. Viburnum ×pragense, V. dilatatum, and V. rufidulum were rated as consistently moderately cold tolerant. All V. tomentosum varieties showed inconsistent LST estimates. Varieties from the Oregon source were rated as cold intolerant. Direct comparisons by variety and source will be discussed with emphasis on consistent LST estimates. Rates of deacclimation as they occurred over the five testing dates will also be discussed.
Terminal stem cuttings of Kalmia latifolia were collected from wild plants (Milford, N.H.) on 12 Nov. and transported on ice to Orono, Maine, for analysis. Samples were processed as follows: 1) stems wrapped in dry cheesecloth; 2) stems wrapped in moist cheesecloth; and 3) stems seeded with crushed ice and wrapped in moist cheesecloth. Prepared samples were subjected to freezing tests to a low temperature of –36C. Following two weeks of incubation at 21C, samples were evaluated for leaf, petiole, stem, and vegetative bud damage. Evaluation of frozen samples revealed: 1) stem tissue remained undamaged to –36C; 2) leaf damage was inconsistent across all handling methods, with no clear LST estimate, and ice seedinggenerally resulted in increased tissue damage; 3) LSTs for vegetative buds and petiole bases were –18C and –15C, respectively, and both yielded definitive and consistent results across all treatments. The results indicate bud and petiole tissue to be the best to use for future studies on LST estimates in Kalmia latifolia.
Lowest survival temperature (LST) estimations for 45 varieties of Magnolia from Delaware were obtained over 4 testing dates with some varieties tested on fewer dates due to a shortage of material. Terminal stem cuttings were subjected to a controlled freezing regime, incubated at 100% humidity for 10–14 days and evaluated for injury by visual observation. LSTs were estimated as the lowest temperature at which 100% survival was observed. LSTs were difficult to estimate due to a lack of consistency caused by fungal pathogens. Incubation in moist towels and aluminum foil, post-freeze addition of moist towels following prefreeze sodium hypochloride dip, and dry incubation were employed to eliminate fungal pathogenicity as a source of post-freeze damage. Results show varieties with M. ×loebneri heritage to be the most consistently cold tolerant. Varieties such as M. `Raspberry Ice' and M. `Merril' rated as inconsistent with no definite LST estimated. Direct comparisons of incubation method, date of test, fungal pathogenicity and varietal consistencies will be discussed.
Stems of 38 varieties of Kalmia latifolia, 33 varieties of Viburnum, and 45 varieties of Magnolia were screened for low-temperature tolerance on eight dates during the winters of 1995–96 and 1996–97. Terminal 6- to 8-cm stem cuttings were shipped overnight on ice to Orono, Maine, and processed immediately upon arrival. Cuttings were subjected to a controlled freezing regime with a lowest test temperature ranging from –31°C to –42°C. Following freezing, stems were incubated for 5 to 14 days at 21°C and evaluated for injury. Lowest survival temperatures (LST) for each variety were estimated as the lowest temperature at which 100% of stems were undamaged. Varieties of Viburnum dentatum, V. lantana, V. opulus, and V. trilobum were rated as consistently very cold-tolerant, with LSTs of at least –36°C on all test dates. All V. plicatum var. tomentosum varieties showed inconsistent survival and LST estimations. Midwinter LST estimates in Kalmia latifolia showed 40% of the tested varieties remained undamaged at or below –36°C. Ten percent of K. latifolia varieties tested were damaged at –24°C or warmer, with the remaining varieties having LSTs somewhere between –24°C and –40°C. Varieties of Magnolia showed inconsistent survival with LSTs estimated for only 5% of those tested. Direct comparisons by variety, test date and source will be discussed with emphasis on consistent LST estimation. Varieties of K. latifolia, Viburnum, and Magnolia best suited for use in northern landscapes will also be discussed.
Accurate assessment of the low-temperature tolerance of woody landscape plants is essential to ensure proper siting and use of specific varieties in the landscape. Laboratory determination of lowest survival temperature (LST) has become a popular area of study in recent years, yet there has been no standardization of technique among the many labs conducting this work. One of the major differences in technique employed across the country is the presence or absence of ice seeding of samples prior to the testing procedure. This presentation will present results of a series of studies conducted to determine the need for and efficacy of ice seeding treatments for LST determination in woody plants. A series of four studies was conducted over a 3-year period to test the difference in LST estimation with and without ice seeding. Twenty-two taxa, including both deciduous and evergreen species, were subjected to controlled freezing at ≈4°C/hr. with test samples removed from the freezer every 3°C. Following a 24-hr thaw and 5 to 7 days of incubation at 21°C, 100% RH, stems were sliced longitudinally and visually assessed for damage to vascular tissues. In the majority of cases, ice seeding was determined to have no significant affect on LST determination. In several species (Kalmia latifolia, Vaccinium angustifolium), the introduction of ice seeding into the protocol resulted in greater variation and less distinct determination of LST.