SEED OF

DORMANCY

REX
REPORTER
SEED DORMANCY
 is the resting stage of the seed because dormancy
delays germination, therefore it is of great
importance and effective as a survival mechanism.
 is defined as failure of viable seed to germinate at
specified length of time in a set of environmental
conditions, later evoke germination when the
restrictive state of seed is removed naturally or
artificially.
TYPES OF
DORMANCY

A.Primary dormancy
1. Endogenous dormancy
2. Exogenous dormancy
3. Combination
A. Innate Dormancy/
Primary Dormancy

• It is the state of the seed itself or dormancy induced in the seeds

at the time of dispersal from the mother plant.
i.e. the dormancy may be induced before maturity, during
maturity and after maturity but before seed is dispersed from
mother plant.
• Primary dormancy is further classified into endogenous and
exogenous.
1. Endogenous Dormancy
 Dormancy due to embryo. May be the presence of
inhibitors, immature embryos or a combination of
both. It is further classified into:
a.Morphological
b.Physiological
c. Morpho-physiological
 a.Morphological Dormancy

• Due to an immature embryo, which is not

able to put forth germination even under
favorable conditions. (e.g.) Apple
• The embryo is under developed or
undifferentiated.
• Some seeds have fully differentiated embryos
that need to grow more before seed
germination, or
• The embryos are not differentiated into
different tissues at the time of fruit ripening.
 b.Physiological Dormancy

• Prevents embryo growth and seed

germination until chemical changes occur.
• These chemicals include inhibitors that often
retard embryo growth to the point where it is
not strong enough to break through the seed
coat or other tissues.
• Physiological dormancy is indicated when an
increase in germination rate occurs after an
application of gibberellic acid (GA3) or after
Dry after-ripening or dry storage.
 Breaking Physiological Dormancy
Physiological dormancy is broken when inhibiting
chemicals are broken down or are no longer
produced by the seed through:
 Photoperiod Control
 Thermo Control
 Drying
  Photodormancy  Thermodormancy
• Photodormancy or light sensitivity affects • Seed sensitivity to heat or cold.
germination of some seeds. • Many plants that have seeds that
• These photoblastic seeds need a period of germinate in early to mid-summer have
darkness or light to germinate. thermodormancy and germinate only
• In species with thin seed coats, light when the soil temperature is warm.
maybe able to penetrate into the dormant • Other seeds need cool soils to
embryo. germinate, while others like celery are
• The presence of light or the absence of inhibited when soil temperatures are too
light may trigger the germination process, warm.
inhibiting germination in some seeds • Often thermodormancy requirements
buried too deeply or in others not buried disappear as the seed ages or dries.
in the soil.
 Drying
• Some plants including a number of grasses and those from
seasonally arid regions need a period of drying before they will
germinate.
• The seeds are released but need to have a lower moisture
content before germination can begin.
• If the seeds remain moist after dispersal, germination can be
delayed for many months or even years.
• Many herbaceous plants from temperate climate zones have
physiological dormancy that disappears with drying of the seeds.
 c. Morpho-physiological
Dormancy

• Combination of immature embryo with

inhibitors.
• Morpho-physiological or morpho-
physiological dormancy occurs when
seeds with under developed embryos,
also have physiological components to
dormancy.
• These seeds therefore require dormancy-
breaking treatments as well as a period of
time to develop fully grown embryos.
2.Exogenous Dormancy
• is caused by conditions outside the embryo.
• is due to the seed coat factor either due to the
presence of inhibitors or hard seed nature. It is
further classified into:
a.Physical Dormancy
b.Mechanical Dormancy
c. Chemical Dormancy
 a.Physical Dormancy

• Dormancy that is caused by an impermeable seed

coat.
• Physical dormancy is the result of impermeable
layer(s) that develops during maturation and drying of
the seed or fruit.
• This impermeable layer prevents the seed from taking
up water or gases. As a result, the seed is prevented
from germinating until dormancy is broken.
• In natural systems, physical dormancy is broken by
several factors including high temperatures,
fluctuating temperatures, fire, freezing/thawing,
drying or passage through the digestive tracts of
animals.
Once physical dormancy is broken it cannot be reinstated.
i.e. the seed is unable to enter secondary dormancy
following unfavorable conditions unlike seeds with
physiological dormancy mechanisms.
• Therefore, the timing of the mechanisms that breaks
physical dormancy is critical and must be tuned to
environmental cues. This maximizes the chances for
germination occurring in conditions where the plant will
successfully germinate, establish and eventually
reproduce.
• Generally, physical dormancy is the result of one or more
palisade layers in the fruit or seed coat. These layers are
lignified with malphigian cells tightly packed together and
impregnated with water-repellent.
• Specialized structures, which function as a "water gap“, are
associated with the impermeable layers of the seed to
prevent the uptake of water.
• The water gap is closed at seed maturity and is opened in
response to the appropriate environmental signal.
• Breaking physical dormancy involves the disruption of these
specialized structures within the seed, and acts as an
environmental signal detector for germination.
 b.Mechanical Dormancy

• Occurs when seed coats or other

coverings are too hard to allow the
embryo to expand during
germination.
• restriction of the growth of protruding
radicle due to structure. (e.g.)
inadequate space in the seeds
of Terminalia sp.
 c. Chemical Dormancy

• Presence of some inhibitors in the seeds

coat which prevents the germination.
• Includes growth regulators etc., that are
present in the coverings around the
embryo.
• They may be leached out of the tissues by
washing or soaking the seed, or
deactivated by other means.
• Other chemicals that prevent germination
are washed out of the seeds by rain water.
3.Combination
• Occurs in some seeds, where dormancy is
caused by both exogenous (physical) and
endogenous (physiological) conditions.
• Some Iris species have both hard
impermeable seeds coats and physiological
dormancy.
Dormancy Breaking
Treatments
Physical dormancy
1. Scarification
Any treatments that removes the seed coat or alters it, making
it more permeable to water and air. This an be done mechanically
by rubbing into a rough surface or the use of chemicals such as
hydrogen peroxide.
a) Physical scarification - soaking in water (tap,
hot or boiling water) for a specific period of
time
b) Mechanical scarification - piercing, rubbing
on sand paper, filing, grinding with abrasives
c) Chemical scarification - treatment with
sulfuric acid and organic solvents
2. Stratification – the placement of seeds between layers of moist
sand, soil, or sawdust at high or low temperatures for the action
of water and softening of the seed coat.
a) Cold stratification – Incubate the seed at a low
temperature of 0-5 0 C over a moist substratum for 2-3 days
to several months.
b) Warm stratification – Some seeds require a temperature
of 40-50 0 C for a few days e.g. paddy. In the case of oil
palm, it requires a temperature of 40-50 0 C for 2 months
to break dormancy.
3. Vernalization – seed treatment to cold temperature
prior to germination.
4. Embryo culture – aseptically removing the embryo
from the seed and placing it in a sterilized culture
medium to germinate.
Seed Dormancy
Thank you!