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Release of dormancy during after‐ripening of Agrostemma githago seeds
Author(s) -
Klerk Geert Jan
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
physiologia plantarum
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.351
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1399-3054
pISSN - 0031-9317
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-3054.1987.tb04352.x
Subject(s) - radicle , germination , dormancy , ripening , horticulture , biology , lag , seed dormancy , botany , computer network , computer science
Freshly harvested seeds of Agrostemma githago L. do not germinate when they are imbibed at 20°C. The block is located in the embryo and is relased by dry storage at 20°C (after‐ripening). Freshly harvested seeds complete only a small part of the processes that occur in after‐ripened seeds during the lag phase prior to germination (radicle protrusion). After‐ripening removed the block on lag phase processes much faster than the block on germination. This was shown both by direct determinations of the completion of lag phase processes and by measurements of the rate of axial protein synthesis, which approximately doubles when seeds are progressing through the lag phase. It is concluded that the percentage germination does not adequately reflect the extent to which the dormancy mechanism has been overcome.