The effect of ice encasement on the physiological, metabol, and ultrastnctural properties of winter wheat (Tritclm sestdvM L.) grown under fiel conditios was examned by a lly encasing winter wheat in ice during early winter. Cold hadiess and survival of ice-encased seedlngs declied less rapily In Kharkov, a cold-hardy cultivar than in Fredrick, a less hardy cultivar. Ethanol did not accumulate in non-iced seedlngs, but increased rapidly upon applcatio of an ice sheet. Lactic acid accumulated in both cultivars during late autumn, prior to ice encasement, and elevated levels of lactic acid were maintained throughout the winter In seedlngs from both iced and on-iced plots. Te rate of 0s consumption of shoot tissue of seedlngs from non-iced plots remained relatively constant throughout the winter, but declined rapidy in seedlings from ice encased plots. Major ultrastructural chages did not occur in shoot apex ceUs of non-iced winter wheat gs duri cold hardening under field conditions. However, the imposition of an ice cover In early January resulted in a proiferation of the e l reticulm membrane system of the cels, frequently resulting In the formation of concentric whoris of membranes, often enclosing cytoplasmic organeles. Electrondense areas within the cytoplasm which appeared to be associated with the expanded endoplasmic reticulum were also frequently observed.