Freeze

Assessing Freeze Injury to Alfalfa

April 28, 2017

While several areas of the state experienced lows below 28°F this week, widespread alfalfa losses are not expected at this time.

If you're concerned about whether your alfalfa may have suffered frost injury, remember that frozen alfalfa usually needs some time to recover before damage can be estimated.

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Field of wheat near McCook April 27, 2017.
A good, thick stand of wheat, such as this one near McCook provides a warmer microclimate near the soil surface that reduces the potential for freeze injury. (Photos by Robert Klein)

Assessing Freeze Injury to Wheat

April 27, 2017
As temperatures dropped below 28° F at a number of sites this week, the authors address how to assess whether freeze damage has occurred.

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Nebraska map showing lows for April 26, 2017

Weather Data Shows Late April-May Cold Spells not that Uncommon in Nebraska

April 26, 2017
Freezing temperatures were reported at numerous locations across western Nebraska the morning of Wednesday, April 26. Additional frost/freeze advisories were issued by the National Weather Service (Figure 1) for Thursday morning, encompassing most of west central to eastern Nebraska and north to the South Dakota border. The lowest temperature reported Wednesday morning at an NWS location was 27°F at Alliance and Sidney.

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Freeze-damaged corn
Figure 1. In 2014 Nebraska experienced widespread frost on May 15 and 17, resulting in plant damage (left) and "buggy-whipping" tissue-wrapping in early planted corn. (Photos by Jenny Rees)

Risk of Freeze Damage in Early Planted Corn

April 14, 2016

With dry conditions the last week and a forecast for rain this weekend, corn planting is progressing rapidly in Nebraska. While warm conditions may persist through April, the potential for freeze risk can still be high when early-planted corn emerges.

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Spring Freeze Risk

April 8, 2016

Soil conditions, the weather forecast, freeze risk and projected days needed for planting are all part of the decision as to when to get into the field. These factors can be highly variable from year to year and it can be challenging to know when we will reach, and maintain, soil temperatures conducive to proper crop germination.

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Freeze Damage to Western Nebraska Wheat Mostly Cosmetic

April 1, 2016
Snow-covered wheat field at UNL's HPAL 3/31/2016
Figure 1. Snow-covered wheat near Sidney is not expected to sustain yield-losing freeze damage as the growing point is still below the soil surface. (Photos by Travis Orrell)

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Wheat with freeze injury

Assessing Freeze Injury to Wheat

Extension advises growers who are concerned about recent abnormally low temperatures to wait five days or so after the freeze to assess plant damage, as it takes several days of warm weather for injury to become apparent.

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