Cassava (Manihot esculenta) can be tolerant to much lower temperatures after
undergoing chilling acclimation. Ming Peng and Weixiong Zhang from Chinese
Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences and Jianghan University,
respectively, now try to determine the mechanism of chilling acclimation.

Plants were subjected to three conditions: gradual chilling acclimation
(14°C), chilling stress after chilling acclimation (plants 5 days in
chilling acclimation were transferred to 4°C) and chilling shock (a drop
from 24°C to 4°C). Gene expressions were then compared to normal plants.
Results reveal that chilling acclimation helps plants develop immunity to
harsher chilling stress by inducing genes for nutrient reservation,
therefore providing protection.

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