Local adaptations to environmental conditions are of high ecological importance as they determine distribution ranges and likely affect species responses to climate change. Increased environmental stress (warming, extreme drought) due to climate change in combination with decreased genetic mixing due to isolation may lead to stronger local adaptations of geographically marginal than central pop...

The enhancement of winter hardiness is one of the most important tasks facing breeders of winter cereals. For this reason, the examination of those regulatory genes involved in the cold acclimation processes is of central importance. The aim of the present work was the functional analysis of two wheat CBF transcription factors, namely TaCBF14 and TaCBF15, shown by previous experiments to play a...

Apricot is grown in a wide range of climatic conditions in Iran, however, it is frequently damaged by late spring frost. In this case, identification of new genotypes tolerant to cold stress is indispensably needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic population and relationships among 27 apricot accessions (Prunus armeniaca) by 30 microsatellite markers and 11 morp...

Late spring frost is one of the most important factors causing loss of production of the Persian walnut (Juglans regia L.). Therefore, the selection of spring frost tolerant genotypes has been among the most important priorities in the breeding programs during the recent years in Horticultural Science Research Institute, Karaj-Iran.  After the spring frost in 2010, five superior genotypes (B10,...

Miscanthus × giganteus grown in cool temperate regions of North America and Europe can exhibit severe mortality in the year after planting, and poor frost tolerance of leaves. Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass), a productive C4 perennial grass native to North America, has been suggested as an alternative biofuel feedstock for colder regions; however, its cold tolerance relative to M. × giga...

Climate change effects on snow cover and thermic regime in alpine tundra might lead to a longer growing season, but could also increase risks to plants from spring frost events. Alpine snowbeds, i.e. alpine tundra from late snowmelt sites, might be particularly susceptible to such climatic changes. Snowbed communities were grown in large monoliths for two consecutive years, under different mani...

Trees are sensitive to extreme weather and environmental conditions. This sensitivity is visible in tree-ring widths and cell structure. In our study, we hypothesized that the sudden frost noted at the beginning of May in both 2007 and 2011 affected cambial activity and, consequently, the number and size of vessels in the tree rings. It was decided to test this hypothesis after damage to leaves...

This paper discusses results of a simulation with the regional climate model HIRHAM for 1958-2001, driven by the ECMWF reanalysis (ERA40) data over the Arctic domain. The aim is to analyze the ability of the model to capture certain features of climate extremes derived from daily mean, maximum and minimum temperatures. For this purpose, a range of climate indices (frost days, cold and warm spel...

A great number of organismiis can wvithstan(d temperatures below the freezing point of water. Many plants are even resistant against severe frosts especially during the winter months. In the late spring, during summer and in the early fall, however, they may be killed by moderate frosts. In order to gain resistance they must undergo a hardening process; in spring this resistance is lost by deha...

Frost damage to the flowers and early developing fruits is one of the most limiting factors in the most almond cultivation regions of the world. This study was undertaken to help understand almond response to frost spring at same phenological stage, in order to develop criteria for the selection of cultivars with improved resistance to frost on the basis of field and laboratory experiments. In ...