Seed Dormancy and Regulation of Germination

Abstract

Seed germination and dormancy are vital components of seed quality; hence, understanding these processes is essential for a sound seed production system. The two processes are closely interrelated and regulated, both by genetic as well as environmental factors. While dormancy provides an inherent mechanism aimed at the survival of the plant species to withstand adverse external conditions by restricting the mature seed from germinating, the ability of the dehydrated seed to remain viable and produce a vigorous seedling upon hydration under favourable conditions is the key to the survival and perpetuation of the plant species. In addition, quality seed is expected to result in timely and uniform germination under favourable field conditions after sowing to establish a healthy crop stand. Therefore, in seed technology, dormancy is not considered a desirable trait in the seed lots used for sowing. Thus, to achieve the highest germination percentage, understanding the factors controlling these two interlinked and contrasting processes is vital. In seed testing and seed trade, knowledge of seed germination and dormancy is needed for a reliable assessment of seed quality and its planting value, and to make right decisions. Though much is yet to be understood, the present status of knowledge on these aspects has made significant advances, especially in genetic control, molecular mechanism, and physiological and environmental factors influencing germination and dormancy. The information compiled in this chapter may help the seed technologists in developing new methods for breaking dormancy and testing germination,

Morpho-Physiochemical Indices and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal the Role of Glucosinolate and Erucic Acid in Response to Drought Stress during Seed Germination of Rapeseed

“…Among the four studied seed types, drought stress differentially delayed the initiation time and content variation in protein and oil degradation. In the HGHE seeds compared to the other types, especially LGLE, protein reduction was higher than oil and lower than sugar, suggesting that proteins and lipids were primarily consumed during the seedling establishment phase following seed germination [ 52 ]. Moreover, FBA and PFK are important enzymes involved in sugar metabolism, which convert 6C sugars into key components of 3C sugars and participate in plant drought regulation [ 53 ].…”

Judicial nutrient management for sustainable production of groundnut: A Review

“…Maintain cell membrane permeability Terminal bud dies Nutrient availability and uptake Disrupts metabolic process (Rui and Dinneny, 2020) [98] Improve soil quality Wrinkled leaf (Gao et [80] (Mg)…”

“…Ca promotes the growth of roots and shoots (Jahanzaib et al, 2021) [50] . Ca helps to increase fresh weight (Nautiyal et al, 2023) [80] . Additionally, Ca helps to increase plant height, root length, vigour, and pegging in groundnut (Kadirimangalam et al, 2022) [58] .…”

Environmental Regulation of Weed Seed Dormancy and Germination

“…It is a population-based phenomenon since every seed independently senses its environment and responds physiologically to the perceived signal [31]. Seed dormancy is determined by both genetic and environmental factors [12,32], such as temperature, light, and soil nitrate, which are experienced by the mother plant during seed maturation [7]. Seed dormancy can be caused by developmental, physiological, chemical, and structural factors [33], and has been described in both physiological and ecological terms [15,22,[34][35][36][37].…”

“…The position of seeds on the parent plant can also affect their colour, morphology, and germinability [2,10]. Environmental conditions affect plant reproduction and are critical factors in controlling seed dormancy and germination [11,12]. Among plants, many weeds produce seeds with different degrees of dormancy to ensure the perpetuation of future generations [13].…”