Correlation between Cold- and Drought-Induced Frost Hardiness in Winter Wheat and Rye Varieties

Abstract
Exposure of 6 wheat (T. aestivum L., Marquis, Cappelle-Desprez, Kent, Fredrick, Rideau and Kharkov) and 1 rye (S. cereale L., Puma) cultivars to 40% relative humidity for 24 h induced the same degree of freezing tolerance in seedling epicotyls as did cold conditioning for 4 wk at 2.degree. C. Frost hardiness varietal relationships were the same in desiccation-stressed and cold-hardened seedlings. Drought stress could be used as a rapid and simple method for inducing frost hardiness in seedling shoots in replacement of cold conditioning.