Nature of Ice‐Sheet Injury to Alfalfa 1

• Published in: Agronomy Journal
• Main Authors: Freyman, S., Brink, V. C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1967
• Subjects: Ice Sheet
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1967.00021962005900060021x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2134%2Fagronj1967.00021962005900060021x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2134/agronj1967.00021962005900060021x

Abstract Ice sheets frequently result in widespread damage to herbaceous plants in temperate latitudes; the cause of injury is a matter of controversy. In a series of experiments with alfalfa in which artificial ice sheets were formed over essentially unfrozen soil, marked changes in the soil atmosphere were recorded. Under one ice sheet, for example, which lasted for 50 days, soil CO 2 rose to 8.7% and alfalfa plants died. From observations such as this and from experiments in which the CO 2 , O 2 , and N 2 in ice‐covered soils were artificially altered, it was concluded that CO 2 accumulation is the prime factor in the death of herbaceous plants under ice sheets. Intermittent thawing of artificial ice sheets reduced or eliminated injury. Stubble protruding through the ice sheet did not prevent injury.