Unprecedented cold damage in Messina last winter.
Snyman J. C.
Author Affiliation: Messina Proefplaas, Posbus 295, Messina 0900, South Africa.
Inligtingsbulletin - Instituut vir Tropiese en Subtropiese Gewasse : 6-8
Abstract : Severe injury by low temperatures during June 1994 is described for mango and cashew trees in the Messina area of South Africa. Up to 20% of cashew trees were killed; there was no difference in susceptibility to damage between young and old trees. All young mango trees were badly damaged, though no deaths were reported. Losses to vegetable crops (tomatoes, capsicums and cucurbits) ranged from 20 to 100%. A minimum air temperature of -2°C was recorded for the night of 29-30 June at the Messina research centre; the minimum ground temperature was around -5°. Below-zero temperatures were also recorded in mid-July. The findings are discussed in relation to temperature limits reported in the literature for various subtropical and tropical fruit crops.