Tag: seed dormancy

The non-germinating seeds are called as dormant seeds and contain hard coat which is impermeable to water, gases so restrict water uptake and oxygen exchange.

The fertilized ovule is got dormant so that the adequate amount of endosperm is formed as for division and for further survival, it is very necessary that ample amount of food is present in the seed.

Dormancy of seeds could be broken by the activation of digestive enzymes like alpha amylases. It is being done by phytohormones like gibberellic acid. It also helps in cell elongation, division of lateral meristem and many more.

ABA, abscisic acid was discovered for its role in regulating abscission and dormancy. It acts as a general plant growth inhibitor and an inhibitor of plant metabolism. It inhibits seed germination, stimulates the closure of stomata in the epidermis and increases the tolerance of the plant to various kind of stresses. 

Only hormone which  induce and maintain seed dormancy is ABA (abscisic acid).

Gibberellin are involved in seed germination in certain plants. They break seed dormancy by promoting mobilisation of reserve food material. In a classic experiment involving barley seed germination, researchers showed that the release of gibberellin from the embryo triggers the synthesis of $\alpha$-amylase, an enzyme that digests starch in the endosperm. As a result, glucose becomes available for absorption by the embryo. Although enzymes mobilize starch reserves in many types of seeds, gibberellin control of seed enzymes appears restricted to cereals and other grasses. 

The conditions present outside the embryo causes Exogenous dormancy and are grouped into physiological, morphological and mechanical dormancy.

Seed dormancy is an adaptation to ensure its germination during favourable period. One important function of most seeds is delayed germination, which allows time for dispersal and prevents germination of all the seeds at the same time. The staggering of germination safeguards some seeds and seedlings from suffering damage or death from short periods of bad weather or from transient herbivores; it also allows some seeds to germinate when competition from other plants for light and water might be less intense. Seed dormancy can be caused by all the factors mentioned. A dormant seed is one that is unable to germinate in a specified period of time under a combination of environmental factors that are normally suitable for the germination of the non-dormant seed. Dormancy is a mechanism to prevent germination during unsuitable ecological conditions, when the probability of seedling survival is low. 
Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Dormancy is the condition of a seed when it fails to germinate even when environmental conditions considered necessary for germination are available. The following are some main causes of seed dormancy: