How Cherry Trees Survive Winter Offers Insights for Crop Protection
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Research reveals how cherry trees use an advanced supercooling mechanism to protect their flower buds in freezing temperatures, enabling better crop protection strategies for fruit farmers.
📈 One key stat: A severe cold snap in January 2024 that saw temperatures plummet to -27°C (-17°F) destroyed 90% of the expected cherry crop in the Okanagan region.
💬 One key quote: Plants like sweet cherries can survive freezing temperatures in winter using supercooling. When in a supercooled state, the liquid in plant cells can avoid freezing, even at temperatures well below 0°C —we call this a metastable liquid.
1️⃣ The big picture: Scientists at the University of British Columbia are studying the remarkable survival mechanism of sweet cherry trees that allows them to protect their flower buds during harsh winter conditions. The trees use a process called supercooling, which prevents the liquid in their cells from freezing even in sub-zero temperatures. This natural defense is crucial for ensuring fruit production in the following season. However, this protection system faces increasing challenges as climate change brings more unpredictable winter weather patterns, putting crops at risk when temperatures fluctuate dramatically.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Understanding how cherry trees naturally protect themselves from freezing opens up new possibilities for developing better crop protection strategies. This research provides crucial insights into the specific cellular mechanisms that allow trees to survive extreme cold, which can help farmers adapt their growing practices. The findings may also lead to breeding more cold-resistant varieties of cherry trees and other fruit crops. This knowledge becomes increasingly valuable as climate change threatens agricultural production in many regions.
3️⃣ What’s next: Researchers will continue investigating the specific factors that enable supercooling in cherry flower buds. They plan to study how this protection mechanism changes during the transition from winter to spring. This work aims to develop practical solutions to help farmers protect their crops from extreme temperature fluctuations. The findings may also influence the development of new cherry varieties with enhanced cold resistance.
Read the full story here: SciTechDaily – The Ice-Defying Science Behind Cherry Trees’ Supercooling Survival
