Rice, Corn and Soybeans Hit by Frost Damage: Here Are the Most Complete Remedial Measures

Earlier this season, our province experienced low temperatures and abundant rain, with snowfall occurring in some areas at the same time, causing crops in various regions to suffer frost damage to varying degrees. To help farmer friends reduce their losses, we have compiled some remedial measures for frost damage to certain crops for your reference.

"What to Do About Frost Damage to Rice"

After rice seedlings suffer frost damage, improper care and management will not only fail to help the seedlings recover quickly, but will instead accelerate their death. Therefore, the following techniques should be adopted to care for frost-damaged seedlings:

1. Irrigate to protect the seedlings. Frost-damaged seedlings have poor root absorption capacity, and leaf transpiration intensifies after the weather clears. If the seedlings lack water at this time, water intake cannot keep up with loss, which can easily cause rapid death. Therefore, for newly frost-damaged seedlings, irrigate on clear days to protect them, and only return to normal water management after the seedlings have fully recovered.

2. Spray foliar fertilizer. For lightly frost-damaged seedlings, spray foliar fertilizer to accelerate recovery and promote seedling growth. Delay fertilizer application: the root systems of frost-damaged seedlings have been damaged, and applying urea immediately after the weather clears will not only fail to be absorbed by the roots, but will instead burn the newly emerged tender roots to death, accelerating seedling death. Therefore, for frost-damaged seedlings, do not rush to apply chemical fertilizer at this time.

"What to Do About Frost Damage to Corn"

1. Remedial measures for lightly frost-damaged corn seedlings. Lightly frost-damaged corn seedlings show symptoms of leaf tips and edges being killed by frost and drying up, but the central leaf is not killed. For fields with such corn seedlings, based on past experience, normal fertilizer and water management will basically have no impact on later yield and growth period.

2. Remedial measures for more severely frost-damaged corn seedlings. More severely frost-damaged corn seedlings show symptoms of the entire leaf at the tip being killed by frost and drying up, but the growing point has not yet been frozen. After the temperature rises back to normal for 2-3 days, use scissors to cut off the curled leaves of the frost-damaged parts of the corn seedlings so that the central leaf can emerge as early as possible. As long as more than 60% of the corn seedlings in the field can resume growth and produce new leaves, there is no need to destroy and replant. After the temperature rises back to normal, spray foliar fertilizer twice to promote corn seedling growth, and apply topdressing early, thereby promoting early and rapid growth of corn seedlings, playing a role in developing seedlings, promoting early maturity and increasing yield, and still achieving a relatively good yield.

3. Remedial measures for severely frost-damaged corn seedlings. Severely frost-damaged corn seedlings show symptoms of the growing point being water-soaked and brown, indicating that the growing point has been killed by frost. Adopt measures of preserving seedlings plus replanting. Replant extra-early-maturing corn next to the damaged corn (do not remove the damaged seedlings), and later determine which plant to keep based on the growth of the two corn plants; or germinate corn seeds and then replant and transplant.

4. Strengthen forecasting and control of pests and diseases. After corn seedlings suffer frost damage, their stress resistance declines somewhat. Based on field conditions, strengthen forecasting of pests and diseases and carry out timely control.

5. Spray foliar growth regulators. For plots where corn seedlings have suffered frost damage, when the corn grows to the jointing stage, use 100 grams of monopotassium phosphate dissolved in 45 kg of water per mu each time and spray continuously 2 times to promote rapid corn growth.

"What to Do About Frost Damage to Soybeans"

For plots with relatively light frost damage, loosen the soil and earth up around the roots in time to raise soil temperature. Apply additional quick-acting nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to enhance repair of frost injury, promote more branching, and rely on branching to form yield and reduce losses.

After the temperature rises and the plants resume growth, spray foliar fertilizers such as monopotassium phosphate to promote branch growth and increase the number of pods set on branches. If frost damage is severe, it is recommended to destroy and replant with early-maturing varieties or miscellaneous grains.