The mechanisms plants use to respond to cold-stress are complicated and often overlap with responses to dehydration and other stresses. From the mid-1980's, researchers have identified hundreds of cold-related genes. At Miami University we are trying to isolate cold-related genes from our cold-hardy palms, and then analyze functions of these genes. In our research we hope to see the genes contributing to the palm cold-hardiness overexpressed, which would further increase the cold-hardiness of these Ohio palms. Increasing cold hardiness in all palms is our final goal.