I am actually looking for something far more useful than just a plant that can survive a few nights of cold temps. I am looking for tomatoes that can extend the season by several weeks in the spring.
As for how a plant with water in the leaves can survive freezing temps, you might ask how collards can take temps down to 0 degrees F. The answer is by pumping sugars into the cells. The sugars act as antifreeze. Of course, everyone in the south knows not to eat collards until you have had a couple of nights of freezing temps. That is the trigger for them to sweeten up.
I have have been doing some significant delving in TGRC. They have some introgression lines from S. Lycopersicoides which just happens to be a nightshade that lives at altitudes up to 3600 meters (2 miles high). It has to be cold tolerant to survive. I have asked if I can request accessions to run a cold tolerance trial. Per R. Chetelat, this has not yet been done with these lines.
DarJones
|