Bert T. Swanson

The distinction between living and dead plant tissue: viability tests in cold hardiness research

Abstract Central to the study of plant cold hardiness is a suitable method of measuring viability following exposure to a freezing stress. No single viability test has been found that will work for all types of plant material or under all types of experimental conditions. Viability tests commonly used in cold hardiness studies are herein reviewed relative to a search for the method best suited for individual research goals. Although time-consuming and qualitative in nature, tissue browning and survival ratings are still generally used as controls for quantitative measurements due to their reliability and ability to predict post-stress plant performance.