Lecture 27
Seed Germination , Dormancy &
breaking of dormancy
Seed Fertilized Ripened Ovule
Has three parts
Protective tissue Nutritive tissue Potential part
Seed coat Endosperm or
Embryo
Cotyledons
Tegmen (inner thin layer)
[Link] coat
Testa (outer thick layer)
[Link]/Cotyledons
1. Reserve food
2. Support the growth of plant in early stages
3. CH2O, Protein, Fat and Minerals
Embryo
Potential part
Embryonic Axis (EA)
Upper part of EA Plumule Shoot
Lower part of EA Radicle Root
Monocot seed
Dicot seed
Chemical composition of seed
1. Carbohydrate -- Starch (Amylose and Amylopectin)
2. Proteins -- Polymers of Amino acids – Peptide bonds
3. Lipids – Fats and Oils
4. Seed mineral – Phytin (Phytic acid) – P, Ca, Mg and K
5. Nucleic acids
Seed Germination
Sequential series of events resulting in the
transformation of an embryo in to a seedling
Three phases of germination
І Phase -- Imbibition
ІІ Phase -- 1. Enzyme activity ↑ -- Breakdown of
Stored foods
2. Respiration ↑
3. Growth depends upon stored food
ІІІ Phase -- Growth supported by leaf PS
Three phases of germination
Four events of germination
1. Imbibition or hydration
2. Enzyme activation
3. Hydrolysis of food reserves
4. Seedling growth
Metabolic Events of Germination
1) Water enters the seed through a pore in the
seed coat – microplye = Imbibition
2) Water moves into the tissues and cells by
osmosis
3) The seed swells first
4) Water activates gibberellins, the hormone
needed for release of amylase enzyme
5) Gibberellins activates amylase which catalyzes
the break down of starch to maltose to glucose
= Sucrose formation
6) Sucrose is mobilized (transported) to the
embryo
7) Embryo absorbs sucrose and uses it for
respiration (oxygen needed)
8) Release of energy from respiration
9) Embryo growth – splitting of seed coat –
Radicle emerge first
9) Nutrients needed for growth of seedling
supplied by Phytin in seed
10) As nutrients are consumed, first leaves
start to appear = Photosynthesis.
11) When photosynthesis starts, seedling
absorbs water and minerals from the
soil, CO2 from the atmosphere and
sunlight.
Starchy
Endosperm
-amylase
Sugars Embryo
GA
Aleurone
Starch Maltose (G-G) Glucose Sucrose
Biochemical changes
• Carbohydrate breakdown
• Protein breakdown
• Lipids breakdown
• Phytin breakdown
Carbohydrate breakdown
α - Amylase
Starch Maltose
β - Amylase
Maltase
Glucose
Invertase
(Common transport sugar in plant) Sucrose
Protein breakdown
Protease
Protein Polypeptides
Peptidase
Hydrolysis
[Link] Keto Acids
ENERGY KREB’S CYCLE
Lipids breakdown
Lipase
Fat & Oil Glycerol + Fatty Acids
Oxidation β Oxidation
Pyruvic Acid Acetyl CO - A
Embryo
growth
ENERGY TCA cycle
Phytin breakdown
Phytin
PHYTASE
P, Ca, Mg and K
Seed and Bud dormancy
Dormancy
Phenomenon of temporary arrest of growth in a particular
period of time
Seed Dormancy
The state in which seeds are prevented from germination
temporarily even under favourable environmental
conditions for germination
Causes for seed dormancy
Internal Factors External Factors
Primary dormancy Secondary dormancy
Factors causing Dormancy
1. Hard seed coat
2. Immature Embryo
3. Presence of germination inhibitors
4. Requirement of specific condition for germination
5. After ripening
Hard seed coat
Hard and multilayered Testa
1. Impermeable to Water
2. Impermeable to Oxygen
Multilayered Testa – Legume seeds, Malvaceae and
Solanacea seeds
Impermeable to water – Legume seeds
Impermeable to oxygen – Cocklebur
Immature Embryo
Embryo fail to develop fully by the time the seeds are shed
Such seeds are dormant some period of time – Rest period
During that period – Embryo developed fully
Example: Orchids
Presence of germination inhibitors
Some germination inhibitors present in different parts
of the seed induce dormancy and inhibit the germination
of seed
Examples: ABA, Coumarin and Ferulic Acid
Requirement of specific condition for germination
Low Temperature
Some crop seeds require low temperature or
chilling treatment for germination
Example: Apple & Rose
Light
Some crop seeds require light for germination called
as positive photoblastic seeds
Example: Tobacco & Lettuce
After Ripening
Embryo fully developed – mature embryo
No requirement of special treatment to germinate
Seeds showing dormancy of few weeks to several months
Physiological changes – seeds develop capacity to germinate
The process called as “After Ripening”
Example : Barley, Wheat and Oats
Methods of breaking dormancy
1. Scarification
2. Stratification
3. Alternate temperature
4. High pressure
5. Light
6. By hormones and nutrients
Scarification
Process of rupturing or weakening of hard seed coat by
mechanical methods or Chemical treatments to induce
germination
Mechanical – Thrashing the seeds by machines / hands
Chemical – Treating the seeds with strong mineral acids
Care : Embryo should not be damaged
Stratification
Induction of seed germination by breaking seed dormancy
through low temperature or chilling treatment
Effective temperature is 5 to 10°C
Alternate high & low temperature
Breaking dormancy by alternate high & low temperature
Difference is 10 to 20°C
Breaking dormancy by high pressure
Seeds subject to hydraulic pressure 2000 atm - 15 min
Pressure – changes the permeability of seed coat
Example: Alfalfa
By light
Germination of seed is influenced by light is mediated by
the pigment - Phytochrome
Positive photoblastic seeds – Dormancy can be broken by Red light (660)
Negative photoblastic seeds – Dormancy can be broken by FR light (740)
Breaking dormancy by Hormones & Nutrients
Hormones
1. Gibberellins
2. Cytokinin
3. Ethylene
Nutrients
1. KNO3
2. Thiourea
These are highly effective to break dormancy & induce
germination for positive photoblastic seeds
Bud Dormancy
Buds of temperate wood trees remain dormant during winter
Growth of bud takes during spring
Potato buds (Eyes) remain dormant considerable time
Due to high level of ABA and low level of GA in the bud
This dormancy can be broken by
1. Stratification
2. Exposed to LD condition
3. Treatment with GA, cytokinin and Thiourea
Thanks lot