Is It Cold Enough? Effects of Artificial and Natural Chilling on Budbreak and Frost Hardiness in Acer saccharum (Marsh.).

ABSTRACT: A crucial part of the phenological cycle in temperate and boreal trees is the exposure to chilling temperatures releasing endodormancy, which allows the trees to react to external signals and resume growth in spring. We compared the effect of artificial and natural chilling on endodormancy break and frost hardiness of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) seedlings. Samples were either placed in growing chambers under artificial chilling conditions (4°C) or outdoors (natural temperatures, including < 0°C) in Chicoutimi, Canada. During dormancy, we performed regular transfers to forcing conditions, quantified frost hardiness (LT₅₀) at the time of transfer and observed the time to budbreak (TBB). We measured chilling accumulation with classic models considering only temperatures above 0°C

SUBMITTER: Mura C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12528974 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep-Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature