DSC Studies of rhododendron hybrids frost resistance

The DSC method was used to study phase transitions in Rhododendron L. leaf tissues caused by temperatures below the freezing point of water. The curves show several stages of water crystallisation, demonstrating that these processes do not occur simultaneously in various types of cell organelles. Temperatures and enthalpies of the phase transitions were determined and significant changes were found in the DSC curves when the sample was repeatedly subjected to sub-zero temperature cooling and heating. Also, frost resistance of the same rhododendron taxons was studied by conductometric analysis and the DSC results were compared with the data from other laboratory studies.