A field trial carried out at Instituto Agronômico Experiment Farm at Capão Bonito, State of São Paulo, Brazil, observed the behaviour of thirteen avocado cultivars of six years old: Geada, Pollock and Simmonds (West Indian cultivars); Antoniolli, Breda, Campinas, Ermor, Jumbo, Margarida, OuroVerde, Reis and Solano (Guatemalan x West Indian Hybrids) and Fuerte (Guatemalan x Mexican hybrid) in relation to low temperatures occurred at the weather station. The values of the minimum air temperatures recorded were: -2.8°C, -0.4°C and -1.8°C on July 17th, 18th, 20th and 21th, 2000 respectively. The Fuerte cultivar was the most tolerant to cold, without injuries on the canopy and fruit drop. The Guatemalan x West Indian cultivars showed different degrees of cold injury and fruit drop, while the West Indian cultivars were severely damaged by the cold.
races and hybrids; cold damage; fruit drop; frost
