Seasonal change in cold hardiness has frequently been associated with metabolic induction of osmolytes that may play a role in acclimation to low temperatures in cool season crop plants. The present research was aimed to examine the association of common endogenous sugars with cold hardiness in acclimated and non-acclimated plants of winter-hardy and non-hardy lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes under controlled conditions. The genotypes were highly significantly (p<0.01) different for

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... tolerance at -5EC and the winter hardy genotypes had no foliar damage but 75% injury was observed in the non-hardy genotypes when freeze tested after complete acclimation under controlled conditions. Comparatively, sorbitol concentrations in the tips and basal leaves of young and old shoots of acclimated plants were consistently and highly significantly (p<0.01) higher in the non-hardy cultivars than in the winter-hardy lines. A highly significant (p<0.001) positive correlation (0.74 ± 0.09) was found between cold injury and sorbitol concentration in these tissues. Except for the presence of comparatively high sorbitol in non-hardy genotypes, there was no significant association of other endogenous sugars nor with total soluble sugars and cold hardiness in lentil.