Seed dormancy refers to a condition in which seeds are unable to germinate, even when exposed to favorable environmental conditions such as optimal temperature, water, light, gases, and seed coat permeability.
This dormancy occurs because seeds often require a resting phase before they can germinate. The duration of this phase can range from a few days to several months or even years. Factors influencing dormancy include a combination of light, water availability, temperature, gases, seed coat properties, and hormonal balance.
Seed dormancy is a condition in which seeds fail to germinate even when provided with favorable environmental conditions such as adequate water, temperature, light, and oxygen. This natural mechanism ensures seeds remain inactive until conditions are optimal for growth and survival.
Below are the types of Seed Dormancy-
Innate dormancy refers to a natural condition where seeds are unable to germinate even when exposed to favorable environmental conditions like adequate water, light, and temperature. This type of dormancy is often due to the seeds being physiologically or developmentally immature at the time of dispersal. It is a survival mechanism in many plant species, ensuring that germination occurs only when conditions are optimal for seedling survival.
Enforced dormancy occurs when seeds fail to germinate due to external environmental constraints, such as insufficient moisture, lack of oxygen, inappropriate temperature, or inadequate light. This dormancy is not an inherent trait of the seed itself but is caused by unfavorable external conditions. Once these environmental restrictions are removed, the seeds can germinate normally.
Induced dormancy occurs when seeds, after absorbing water, fail to germinate due to being subjected to extremely unfavorable environmental conditions. These adverse conditions, such as extreme temperatures, lack of oxygen, or prolonged exposure to stress, prevent germination even when the environment later becomes favorable. This type of dormancy is often temporary and can sometimes be reversed by reconditioning the seeds under optimal conditions.
Below are the different methods of breaking dormancy are-
Seed dormancy naturally ends when the embryo receives suitable environmental conditions such as adequate moisture and temperature. In many species, the seed coat becomes permeable due to natural factors like the activity of microorganisms, temperature changes, or abrasion caused by the digestive tracts of birds and animals that consume the seeds. Other natural methods include:
To accelerate germination, artificial techniques are often employed to break seed dormancy. These include:
Seed dormancy is defined as the inability of a seed to germinate even under favorable conditions. It mainly occurs due to abiotic stress, seed coat and some other mechanical stress. Seed is the main part for the next generation. Seed undergoes dormancy stage during preharvest to stop germinating. The period of rest before its germination if it takes a long time then we call this seed dormancy, it may take weeks, months, and years.
Seed dormancy can be classified into three types: innate dormancy, induced dormancy, and enforced dormancy.
The primary function of dormancy is to delay germination until environmental conditions are optimal for seedling survival, ensuring the species' continued existence.
The three stages of dormancy are: early dormancy, mid-dormancy, and late dormancy, each characterized by varying levels of metabolic activity and responsiveness to environmental cues.
The plant hormone gibberellin (GA) is known to break seed dormancy and promote germination.