Frost Injury

Symptoms:
Air temperatures at or slightly below freezing (depending on the extent of radiational cooling) can severely damage all cucurbits. Seedling stages may be severely stunted or killed by low, but non freezing temperatures because they are "chilling sensitive" crops. Damage progresses from a water-soaked appearance of affected leaf tissue immediately after exposure, to a grayish-green "scorched" appearance of leaves, that eventually turn brown and papery within a day or two.

Control:
Overhead irrigation applied during the low temperature exposure may provide partial protection against a light frost, but is not likely to be as effective as it is for more cold tolerant perennial crops like strawberries and peaches.

---