Skip to content
agronom.cc cultivar database

Variety traits

Heat tolerance

Heat tolerance is a plant's genetic ability to maintain metabolic activity and productivity under high temperature conditions. It manifests as resistance to protein denaturation, turgor loss, and generative organ mortality.

Mentioned in descriptions 1 598 varieties reference book.

Heat tolerance is a genetically determined ability of plants to withstand high air and soil temperatures without significant damage to development and yield. When critical values, typically ranging from 35–40 °C, are exceeded, processes of protein denaturation and cell membrane degradation begin in plant tissues. Externally, this manifests as wilting, the appearance of heat scorch, flower/fruit abscission, and pollen mortality, leading to significant yield losses and sterility.

This trait is not static and changes during plant ontogeny: the seedling and flowering stages are considered the most vulnerable to overheating. Variety resistance is ensured by two key strategies: an overheating avoidance mechanism based on intensive transpiration via a well-developed root system, and physiological endurance. The latter includes the ability of cells to retain bound water, increased cytoplasm viscosity, and the active synthesis of specialized heat-shock proteins/enzymes.

Evaluation of variety heat tolerance is carried out using laboratory climate chambers or field express-methods, measuring the degree of tissue browning, chlorophyll fluorescence, or proline concentration in cells as a stress marker. Varieties with high heat tolerance are capable of consistent fruiting at temperatures of 35–40 °C and above, whereas low tolerance leads to functional inhibition as early as 30–35 °C. A temperature of 50 °C is considered the critical threshold for most agricultural crops, leading to cell death.

Sources10

Breakdown by crop

Heat tolerance of tomato 14 Heat tolerance — Cauliflower 13 Heat tolerance of maize 10 Heat tolerance in pepper 8 Heat Tolerance — Soft Wheat 7 Heat tolerance of lettuce 7 Heat Tolerance — Tall Fescue 5 Heat Tolerance — Broccoli 5 Heat tolerance of Calibrachoa 4 Heat tolerance of common bean 4 Heat tolerance of garden strawberry 4 Heat Tolerance in White Cabbage 4 Heat tolerance of cucumber 4 Heat tolerance of sunflower 3

Found in these crops

Tomato 52 Lettuce 42 Cauliflower 35 Bread wheat 35 Maize 34 Rose 24 Cucumber 23 Sunflower 23 Alstroemeria 21 Calibrachoa 21 Tall fescue 19 White cabbage 17

Varieties that feature this in their description

Selection based on the description text, not official resistance ratings: such data is not available in registers. Mention indicates that the trait is discussed in the variety's sources; see the variety's profile for details on what is specifically stated.

GS210

Active

Zea mays L. subsp. mays (Maize Group) · Maize

1 record

Rio Magno

Terminated

Solanum lycopersicum L. · Tomato

IT
1 record

Record

Active

Pisum sativum L. · Pea

1 record

Gulliver

Terminated

Solanum lycopersicum L. · Tomato

1 record

Early flat Dutch

Protection expired

Brassica oleracea L. (White Cabbage Group) · White cabbage

SI
1 record

P9718E

Active

Zea mays L. subsp. mays (Maize Group) · Maize

1 record

Hamira

Protection expired

Triticum durum Desf. · Durum wheat

CY
1 record

Gironet

Active

Vitis L. · Grapevine

1 record

Beira

Terminated

Brassica oleracea L. (White Cabbage Group) · White cabbage

1 record

DKC4541

Active

Zea mays L. subsp. mays (Maize Group) · Maize

1 record

Bola de Neve

Active

Brassica oleracea L. (Cauliflower Group) · Cauliflower

1 record

Amager lav

Terminated

Brassica oleracea L. (White Cabbage Group) · White cabbage

1 record

Jump to page 5 10 15 21 26 31