“…Although high-quality fruit can be grown in this region, the principle limitation for long-term production is still the threat of freezes. However, freeze protection measures that did not exist in the early 1900s, especially microsprinkler irrigation (Bourgeois and Adams, 1987;Bourgeois et al, 1990;Braud et al, 1981;Davies et al, 1987;Nesbitt et al, 2000;Parsons et al, 1991;Rieger, 1989;Rieger et al, 1985Rieger et al, , 1986Rieger et al, , 1988aRieger et al, , 1988b and high tunnel plastic houses, are available today that reduce significantly the severity of freeze injury. Furthermore, more cold-hardy cultivars (Zhang et al, 2002) and the potential of genetic modification to enhance cold tolerance (Iba, 2002;Nolte et al, 1997) may reduce the risk of freeze injury.…”