Based on papers from the 7th International Plant Cold Hardiness Seminar held in Japan in 2004, this book presents the latest research findings on plant freezing and chilling stress from major laboratories around the world. The chapters focus on various aspects of molecular genetics and the utilization of transgenic plants to further our understanding of plant cold hardiness at the molecular level. Topics covered include: vernalization genes in winter cereals; global analysis of gene networks to solve complex abiotic stress responses; control of growth and cold acclimation in silver birch and the effect of Plasma Membrane-associated Proteins on Acquisition of Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.