SEED GERMINATION
SEED GERMINATION, IS DEFINED AS THE GROWTH OF A SEED INTO A YOUNG
PLANT OR SEEDLING. IT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESS OF DIFFERENT PLANT
SPECIES GROWING INTO A PLANT.
DURING THE BEGINNING STAGE OF SEED GERMINATION, THE SEED TAKES UP
WATER RAPIDLY AND THIS RESULTS IN SWELLING AND SOFTENING OF THE
SEED COAT AT AN OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE. THIS STAGE IS REFERRED TO AS
IMBIBITION. IT STARTS THE GROWTH PROCESS BY ACTIVATION OF
ENZYMES. THE SEED ACTIVATES ITS INTERNAL PHYSIOLOGY AND STARTS TO
RESPIRE AND PRODUCE PROTEINS AND METABOLIZES THE SECOND FOOD.
THIS IS A LAG PHASE OF GERMINATION. BY RUPTURING THE SEED COAT,
RADICLE EMERGES TO FORM A PRIMARY ROOT. THE SEED STARTS ABSORBING
UNDERGROUND WATER. AFTER THE EMERGING OF THE RADICLE AND THE
PLUMUTE, A SHOOT STARTS GROWING UPWARDS.
IN THE FINAL STAGE OF SEED GERMINATION, THE CELL OF THE SEEDS
BECOME METABOLICALLY ACTIVE, ELONGATES, AND DIVIDES TO GIVE THE
RISE TO THE SEEDING.
THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS ESSENTIAL FOR A SEED TO GERMINATE
INTO A SEEDLING AND THEN TO A PLANT. WATER, OXYGEN, TEMPERATURE.
AND LIGHT OR DARKNESS. FOR WATER, IT IS EXTREMELY NECESSARY. IT
PROVIDES NECESSARY HYDRATION, SOFTENS THE SEED COAT, AND
INCREASES THE SEEDS PERMEABILITY. FOR OXYGEN, IT IS REQUIRED BY THE
GERMINATING SEED TO BE USED IN AEROBIC RESPIRATION( A PROCESS BY
WHICH ORGANISMS USE OXYGEN TO PRODUCE CELLULAR ENERGY.) UNTIL IT
MANAGES TO GROW GREEN LEAVES ON ITS OWN. OXYGEN CAN BE FOUND ON
THE PORES OF SOIL PARTICLES, BUT BE CAREFUL AS TO NOT BURY THE SEED
TO DEEP. IT MAY BE DEPRIVED OF ITS OXYGEN. AS FOR TEMPERATURE,
DIFFERENT SEEDS REQUIRE DIFFERENT OPTIMUM TEMPERATURES. LASTLY,
LIGHT AND DARKNESS ACT AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGER. MANY SEEDS DO
NOT GERMINATE UNTIL SUNLIGHT FALLS ON THEM.
THE PROCESS OF THE GERMINATION OF THE SEED TRIGGERS UNDER THE
ABOVE MENTIONED FAVORABLE CONDITIONS. THE SEEDS UNDERGO RAPID
EXPANSION AND GROWTH. ALTHOUGH IN CERTAIN CASES, THERE WILL ALSO
BE MAJOR FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PROCESS. THESE INCLUDE, THE
EXTERNAL FACTORS; WATER, TEMPERATURE AND OXYGEN, AND INTERNAL
FACTORS; SEED DORMANCY. IN THE EXTERNAL FACTORS, POOR OR
ADDITIONAL SUPPLY OF WATER MAY DROWN THE SEED, AFFECTING SEED
GERMINATION. LACK OF OXYGEN MAY ALSO CAUSE INFLUENCE DUE TO THE
FACT THE PROCESS RESPIRES VIGOROUSLY, AND RELEASES ENERGY REQUIRED
FOR THEIR GROWTH. TEMPERATURE AFFECTS GROWTH AS WELL. IN SOME
CASES, LOW TEMPERATURE PROMOTES FUNGAL INFECTION AND SLOWS DOWN
SEED GERMINATION, IN OTHERS, GERMINATION STOPS AT THE TEMPERATURE
ABOVE THE MODERATE LEVELS.
SEED DORMANCY IS THE CONDITION IN WHICH SEEDS ARE PREVENTED FROM
GERMINATING,
1. THE SEED COAT, WHICH IS RESISTANT TO WATER AND GASES,
RESTRICTS WATER-UPTAKE AND OXYGEN-EXCHANGE.
2. THE SEED HAS AN IMMATURE OR UNDERDEVELOPED EMBRYO.
3. CERTAIN SEEDS CONTAIN PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS WHICH INHIBIT
SEED GERMINATION.
4. SOME SEEDS REQUIRE MORE TIME FOR THEIR GERMINATION.