1) Structural and functional perturbations in membrane transport properties during low temperature stress in plants 2) physiological and molecular basis of cold acclimation and dormancy induction in plants with emphasis on (a) gene expression and regulation during cold hardiness and dormancy trasitions, (b) identification of molecular markers linked to genes controlling dormancy and cold hardiness, (c) role of LEA proteins/dehydrins in stress tolerance, 3) calcium nutrition and plants' response to environmental stress.