Freezing Tolerance Affected by Mineral Application during Cold‐Acclimated Conditions in Some Cool Crop Seedlings

Abstract

The effect of mineral nutrient application on freezing tolerance in red cabbage, carrot, and spinach under cold‐acclimated and unacclimated conditions were evaluated in this study. Effects of nutrient‐solution application and cold acclimation on temperature at which 50% of leaves are injured (LT₅₀), values, and ice nucleation activity in all of the plants were found to be statistically significant. Nutrient‐solution applications decreased LT₅₀ values in all of the species under unacclimated and cold‐acclimated conditions. Freezing injuries in cold‐acclimated plants were significantly lower than in unacclimated plants in all of the nutrient application doses. In addition to this, 600–900 mg l⁻¹ nutrient solutions also gave low plant injury in all conditions. Nutrient‐solution applications increased ice nucleation temperatures of apoplastic proteins, proline, and total chlorophyll contents in all of the plant species under unacclimated and cold‐acclimated conditions. Among the plant species, carrot was the most resistant plant to freezing injury under all nutrient application doses in the tested conditions.

Keywords:

• Cabbage
• carrot
• cold acclimated
• cool crop
• freezing tolerance
• mineral nutrition
• spinach