Abstract: Five wheat varieties represented the strong winterness, winterness, semi-winterness and springness form respectively were treated by different vernalization times and low temperature to examine the relationship of wheat vernalization response with cold hardness. The results showed that the cold hardiness for different varieties had great differences. The vernalization and the cold hardiness of wheat were two hereditary characteristics under low-temperature. The wheat seedlings had a different cold hardiness under the condition of different vernalization times. The wheat varieties which need a long vernalization time could not be confirmed as strong cold hardiness varieties. While the wheat varieties which had strong cold hardiness need a long vernalization time. The vernalization was beneficial to forming of the cold hardiness of wheat. The cold hardiness was enhanced as the vernalization time was prolonged, while it was the strongest at the appropriate vernalization time. If the vernalization time was too long, the cold hardiness would descend.

Key words: Wheat, Wheat, Vernalization, Cold hardiness