Honours study: The relationship between water-soluble carbohydrates and freezing resistance in wheat

Abstract

Key findings • • The incidence and severity of frost in southern NSW in 2017 had a significant effect on grain yield and quality. • • The concentration of sugars that could be manipulated in the plant at booting and ear-emergence contributed very little to the freezing point of plant sap. • • Higher yields were not observed under higher rates of nitrogen in the field, due to extreme frost conditions. However, increasing nitrogen rates increased tillering capacity, which contributed more regrowth to plants recovering from stem frost damage.