Determination of frost hardiness of Eucalyptus using the electrical conductivity of diffusate in conjunction with a freezing chamber

Abstract

An electrical conductivity method for determining frost hardiness of tissue discs punched from Eucalyptus leaves is described. Samples were exposed to convective heat loss in an air-filled chamber. Rates of cooling and desired frost temperatures were electronically controlled and maintained. Supercooling of tissue was effectively eliminated by addition of small amounts of AgI and water. Conductivity of diffusate was measured as a means of quantifying tissue damage following frost. Relative conductivity was determined with reference to subsequent measurements following heating the discs to 70 °C which resulted in maximum conductivity. Exposure of leaf discs to temperatures below the lethal temperature for these species (<−10 °C) resulted in similar maximum conductivity readings. The technique is evaluated to assess its potential to distinguish small differences in frost hardiness caused by genotype and environment. For both E. delegatensis and E. nitens there was no significant difference in frost hardiness expressed in terms of mean lethal temperature when comparing leaf discs with frosting whole seedlings.