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Seed Germination
Seed Germination
Seed Germination
Germination is the growth of an embryonic plant contained within a seed, it results in the
formation of the seedling. The seed of a higher plant is a small package produced in a
fruit or cone after the union of male and female sex cells. Most seeds go through a period
of quiescences where there is no active growth, during this time the seed can be safely
transported to a new location and/or survive adverse climate conditions until it is
favorable for growth. The seed contains an embryo and in most plants stored food
reserves wrapped in a seed coat. Under favorable conditions, the seed begins to
germinate, and the embryonic tissues resume growth, developing towards a seedling.
Water - It is required for germination. Mature seeds are often extremely dry and need to
take in significant amounts of water, relative to the seeds dry weight, before cellular
metabolism and growth can resume. Most seeds respond best when there is enough water
to moisten the seeds but not soak them. The uptake of water by seeds is called imbibition
which leads to the swelling and the breaking of the seed coat. When seeds are formed,
most plants store food, such as starch, proteins, or oils, to provide nourishment to the
growing embryo inside the seed. When the seed imbibes water, hydrolytic enzymes are
activated that break down these stored food resources in to metabolically useful
chemicals, allowing the cells of the embryo to divide and grow, so the seedling can
emerge from the seed. Once the seedling starts growing and the food reserves are
exhausted, it requires a continuous supply of water, nutrients and light for photosynthesis,
which now provides the energy needed for continued growth.
Oxygen - is required by the germinating seed for metabolism: If the soil is waterlogged or
the seed is buried within the soil, it might be cut off from the necessary oxygen it needs.
Oxygen is used in aerobic respiration, the main source of the seedling's energy until it has
leaves, which can photosynthesize its energy requirements. Some seeds have
impermeable seed coats that prevent oxygen from entering the seeds, causing seed
dormancy. Impermeable seed coats to oxygen or water, are types of physical dormancy
which is broken when the seed coat is worn away enough to allow gas exchange or water
uptake between the seed and its environment.
Temperature - affects cellular metabolic and growth rates. Different seeds germinate
over a wide range of temperatures, with many preferring temperatures slightly higher
than room-temperature while others germinate just above freezing and others responding
to alternation in temperature between warm to cool. Some seeds germinate when the soil
is cool 28-40F, while most germinate when the soil is warm (60-75F) and some when the
soil is even warmer (76-90F). Often, seeds have a set of temperature ranges where they
will germinate and will not do so above or below this range. In addition, some seeds may
require exposure to cold temperature (vernalization) to break dormancy before they can
germinate. As long as the seed is in its dormant state, it will not germinate even if
conditions are favorable. Seeds that are dependent on temperature to end dormancy, have
a type of physiological dormancy. For example, seeds requiring the cold of winter are
inhibited from germinating until they experience cooler temperatures. For most seeds that
require cold for germination 4C is cool enough to end dormancy, but some groups
especially with in the family Ranunculaceae and others, need less than -5C. Some seeds
will only germinate when temperatures reach hundreds of degrees, as during a forest fire.
Without fire, they are unable to crack their seed coats, this is a type of physical dormancy
Light or darkness - can be a type of environmental trigger for germination in seeds and is
a type of physiological dormancy. Most seeds are not affected by light or darkness, but
many seeds, including species found in forest settings will not germinate until an opening
in the canopy allows them to receive sufficient light for the growing seedling.
Stratification mimics natural processes that weaken the seed coat before germination. In
nature, some seeds require particular conditions to germinate, such as the heat of a fire
(e.g., many Australian native plants), or soaking in a body of water for a long period of
time. Others have to be passed through an animal's digestive tract to weaken the seed coat
and enable germination.
Dormancy- Many live seeds have dormancy, meaning they will not germinate even if the
environment has sufficient water and warmth for the seed to germinate. Dormancy
factors include conditions affecting many different parts of the seed, from the embryo to
the seed coat. Dormancy is broken or ended by a number of different conditions, and is
caused be internal or external and sometimes both factors. Environmental factors like
light, temperature, fire, ingestion by animals, are conditions that can end seed dormancy.
Internally seeds may be dormant because of plant hormones, which affect cell growth and
prevents germination. One plant hormone that is a common dormancy inducing chemical
is absciscic acid, while the production and application of the hormone gibberellin can
break dormancy and induces seed germination. The use of hormones to end seed
dormancy is used in brewing, where barley is treated with gibberellin to ensure uniform
seed germination in the production of barley malt.
Short-day plants
Short-day plants flower when the night is longer than a critical length. They cannot
flower under the long days of summer. In general, these plants flower in late summer or
fall, as days are getting shorter. Short-day plants will not flower if a pulse of artificial
light is shone on the plant for several minutes during the middle of the night; they require
a consolidated period of darkness before floral development can begin. Natural nighttime
light, such as moonlight or lightning, is not of sufficient brightness or duration to
interrupt flowering.
Day-neutral plants
Day-neutral plants, such as cucumbers, roses and tomatoes, do not initiate flowering
based on photoperiodism at all; they flower regardless of the night length. They may
initiate flowering after attaining a certain overall developmental stage or age, or in
response to alternative environmental stimuli, such as vernalization (a period of low
temperature), rather than in response to photoperiod.