Low temperatures can kill flowers or cause the development of misshapen fruit, depending on the severity of chilling and the stage of flower development when it occurs. Cold, dry weather in the fall may interfere with flower bud development, causing fruit to form multiple tips the following spring.
Identification
Temperatures below about 60°F during flowering may prevent pollination of some simple, one-seeded fruits, resulting in distorted, "catfaced" berries. The damage appears identical to the catfacing caused by lygus bugs, but lygus bug damage occurs in late spring and early summer and low-temperature injury symptoms develop in early to mid-spring.
Solutions
Sprinkler irrigation used when temperatures are expected to be below freezing can help minimize frost injury.
