Chad Lee, Conner Raymond, and Carrie Knott; University of Kentucky

Freezing temperatures were recorded across Kentucky Monday morning, April 24, 2023. The coldest temperatures were mostly in central and eastern Kentucky, but freezing temperatures were as far west as Trigg and Webster counties. Temperatures fell to or slightly below freezing in the following counties from Sunday to Monday: Butler, Caldwell, Carroll, Christian, Crittenden, Graves, Grayson, Hardin, Logan, Meade, Ohio, Taylor, and Webster counties (Table 1, at the end of this article). Webster and McLean County were the coldest at 30°F. Frosts likely occurred west of these counties. The good news is that soil surface temperatures likely stayed in the low 50’s to mid-40’s. This is based on soil surface temperatures measured at UKREC in Princeton, KY.

About 36% of corn acres and 20% of soybean acres were planted as of April 23, 2023, according to the USDA-NASS.

Corn and Soybeans at Risk

Corn and soybeans are at more risk to death from the freeze events at specific growth stages and in certain conditions. The following scenarios go from greatest risk to least risk of plant death from the freeze events.

Soybeans at the “crook” stage where the stem is emerged and bent over like a shepherd’s crook were the most susceptible to the freeze (Figure 1). These plants were most likely to be killed by the freeze or frost. At crook stage, typical damage is along the stem with some yellowing of the cotyledon. This will be followed by plants snapping off where damage was observed (Figures 2 and 3).

Corn and soybean seeds and seedlings in furrows that were not fully closed are at risk of being killed by the freeze.

Corn or soybean seeds that were planted shallow had a slight risk of freeze damage, although plant death from the freeze is unlikely.

Corn plants emerged may have tissue above the soil surface die off from the freeze, but the growing points should have been insulated beneath the soil surface.  Those corn plants should recover well. No yield loss is expected.

Soybean plants that have FULLY emerged and are at the VE growth stage (emergence) should survive the freeze event, based on observations during freeze events in late April 2021 and early May 2020. If the soybean cotyledons survive, the soybean plants will survive, and no yield loss will occur. If the cotyledons do not survive, the plant will not survive, either. 

Corn and soybean seeds at proper planting depths are at very little risk from the freeze. Corn and soybean radicles (the shoots emerging from the seeds) that are still below the soil surface likely were insulated and will survive.

We need about 5 days of warm weather before symptoms are easy to see. Based on current forecasts, it may take six or seven actual days to get the 5 days of good growing conditions. Plants or plant parts that have turned black or brown and have lost turgor pressure are easy to identify.

Corn plants need to be examined from the seed upward. We are assuming that the roots are deep enough to not be a concern. Dig up some corn plants and look for any signs of brown/black areas from the seeds upward. If plants are white to yellow beneath the soil and turgor pressure is good, then the seedlings are likely to survive.  

Maybe Just a Chill

Corn and soybean seeds that are in the process of germinating during the freeze are at risk of taking in cold water (imbibitional chilling) within the first 24 to 48 hours after planting. If the soil temperatures were below 50F for an extended period during those 24 to 48 hours, then the seeds are more likely to be damaged. There is some debate about how long the soils need to stay below 50F before severe damage is done from the imbibitional chilling. We can say those seeds are at risk. At this point, either the seeds were damaged, or they were not from imbibitional chilling. Emergence will be slower in these fields. The fields can be scouted in about five days or so to determine the health of germinating seeds and/or emerged plants.

Table 1: Low temperatures recorded across the state from 4/21/23 through 4/24/23. Freezing temperatures are highlighted in light blue. Weather data from the Kentucky Mesonet.

	Low Temperature °F			3 Day
KY Mesonet Site	4/21-22	4/22-23	4/23-24	Average Low
				Temperature
Adair	48	41	34	41
Allen	49	41	35	41
Ballard	42	38	35	38
Barren	49	40	34	41
Bath	54	43	37	45
Boone	46	37	34	39
Boyle	47	42	33	41
Breathitt	58	46	38	47
Breckinridge	46	39	33	39
Bullitt	47	39	34	40
Butler	45	38	32	38
Caldwell	42	35	32	36
Calloway	42	39	35	38
Campbell	47	40	35	40
Carroll	47	36	32	38
Casey	48	42	33	41
Christian	43	38	33	38
Clark	48	42	36	42
Clinton	48	41	34	41
Crittenden	43	35	32	37
Cumberland	49	41	34	41
Fayette	48	41	35	41
Franklin	47	38	35	40
Fulton	42	39	36	39
Graves	42	36	33	37
Grayson	45	39	32	38
Hardin	47	39	32	39
Harrison	48	37	33	40
Hart	47	39	35	40
Henderson	47	38	36	40
Hopkins	45	37	34	38
LaRue	47	41	34	41
Lewis	46	45	36	42
Lincoln	47	41	34	41
Logan	46	36	32	38
Madison	51	44	36	43
Marion	47	41	33	40
Marshall	43	36	33	37
Mason	52	39	36	42
McLean	48	38	34	40
Meade	47	35	30	37
Mercer	48	41	34	41
Metcalfe	47	40	35	41
Monroe	49	42	37	43
Morgan	56	47	35	46
Muhlenberg	45	36	32	38
Nicholas	49	41	36	42
Ohio	45	38	31	38
Oldham	46	38	35	40
Owen	45	37	35	39
Owsley	50	44	34	43
Pike	55	42	35	44
Pulaski	49	42	34	42
Rowan	52	43	38	45
Shelby	47	35	35	39
Simpson	48	39	37	41
Taylor	48	42	32	40
Todd	43	37	34	38
Trigg	43	38	34	38
Union	45	37	34	38
Warren	48	39	36	41
Wayne	49	44	36	43
Webster	43	35	30	36

Resources

Coulter, Jeff. 2021. Spring Freeze Injury in Corn. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/growing-corn/spring-freeze-injury-corn

KY Climate Center. 2023. Kentucky Mesonet. https://www.kymesonet.org/ accessed April 24, 2023.

Lee, C.D. Evaluating early season frost damage to corn. AGR-192. Univ. of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/agr/agr192/agr192.pdf

Nielsen, R.L. 2020. Assessing Frost/Cold Temperature Injury to Young Corn. Corny News Network. http://www.kingcorn.org/news/timeless/FrostedCorn.html

Nielsen, R.L. 2020. Cold Soils & Risk of Imbibitional Chilling Injury in Corn. Corny News Network. Purdue Univ. https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/ImbibitionalChilling.html

Staton, Michael. 2021. Assessing frost/freeze damage to emerged soybeans. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/assessing-low-temperature-injury-to-soybeans

Taylor, M., A. Nygren, J. Rees., J. Specht and A. Timmerman. 2020. Evaluating freeze and chilling injury in corn and soybeans. Nebraska Cropwatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2020/evaluating-freeze-and-chilling-injury-corn-and-soybeans

USDA-NASS. 2023. USDA-NASS. Crop Progress and Condition. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Kentucky/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/cw23/CW042423.pdf