Cold temperatures can result in injury to the germinating seed as it is absorbing moisture – a problem called imbibitional chilling injury. Damage to germinating seeds can occur when soil temperatures remain at or below 50 degrees F after planting.
The sudden sharp drop in temperatures across Kansas this week will cause the wheat crop to go into dormancy. Whether it will injure the wheat to any degree depends on several factors which are described in more detail in this article.