The life histories of many species depend first on dispersal to local sites and then on establishment. After dispersal, density-independent and density-dependent mortalities modify propagule supply, determining the number of individuals that establish. Because multiple factors influence recruitment, the dichotomy of propagule versus establishment limitation is best viewed as a continuum along w...

Light is a major external factor in regulating seed germination. Photoreceptor phytochrome B (PHYB) plays a predominant role in promoting seed germination in the initial phase after imbibition, partially by repressing phytochrome-interacting factor1 (PIF1). However, the mechanism underlying the PHYB-PIF1-mediated transcription regulation remains largely unclear. Here, we identified that histone...

Seed dormancy prevents seeds from germinating under environmental conditions unfavourable for plant growth and development and constitutes an evolutionary advantage. Dry storage, also known as after-ripening, gradually decreases seed dormancy by mechanisms not well understood. An Arabidopsis thaliana DOF transcription factor gene (DOF6) affecting seed germination has been characterized. The tra...

All howler monkey species (Alouatta spp.) have a folivorous–frugivorous diet. Howler monkeys are reported to be seed dispersers in several areas, including black howlers (Alouatta caraya), which are important seed dispersers in northern Argentinean forests. The goal of this work was to study the three-way interaction between insects, seeds, and black howlers, and assess the functional significa...

Hydrogen peroxide was initially recognized as a toxic molecule that causes damage at different levels of cell organization and thus losses in cell viability. From the 1990s, the role of hydrogen peroxide as a signaling molecule in plants has also been discussed. The beneficial role of H2O2 as a central hub integrating signaling network in response to biotic and abiotic stress and during develop...

Food security remains a constant source of concern in Mali, where over 75% of the population derives their living from agriculture. Despite the huge theoretical need, the production and use of improved seeds remain very limited. Concurrently, genetic erosion and the disappearance of certain local varieties have been observed. The dual need to preserve agricultural biodiversity as a factor of re...

Seeds provide food, feed, fiber and fuel. They are also an important delivery system of genetic information, which is essential for the survival of wild species in ecosystems and the production of agricultural crops. In this review, seed traits and genes that are potentially important for agricultural applications are discussed. Over the long period of crop domestication, seed traits have been ...

Chitosan was modified with sodium hydroxide and polymerized in water with plant growth regulators, microfertilizer and other additives to give a novel environmentally friendly seed coating agent for rice. The results showed the seed coating agent has obvious biological effect through the germination test, bacteriostasis test, toxicological security test and field experiment. Compared with the t...

Efficient molecular markers for the selection of rapeseed genetic materials with high seed oil content and ideal fatty acid (FA) composition are preferred by rapeseed breeders. Recently, we reported the molecular mechanism of TRANSPARENT TESTA 2 (TT2) in inhibiting seed FA biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. However, evidence showing the association of rapeseed TT2 homologs and seed FA production are ...

Seed development in Arabidopsis is characterized by stereotypical division patterns, suggesting that coordinated control of cell cycle may be required for correct patterning and growth of the embryo and endosperm. D-type cyclins (CYCD) are key cell cycle regulators with roles in developmental processes, but knowledge regarding their involvement in seed development remains limited. Here, a famil...