The life cycle of cereal seeds can be divided into two phases, development and germination, separated by a quiescent period. Seed development and germination require the growth and differentiation of new tissues, but also the ordered disappearance of cells, which takes place by a process of programmed cell death (PCD). For this reason, cereal seeds have become excellent model systems for the st...

Dormancy release in imbibed annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) seeds is promoted in the dark but inhibited in the light. The role of abscisic acid (ABA) in inhibition of dormancy release was found to be negligible, compared with its subsequent effect on germination of dormant and non-dormant seeds. Inhibitors of ABA metabolism had the expected effects on seed germination but did not influen...

Small RNAs (sRNAs), as a key component of molecular biology, play essential roles in plant development, hormone signaling, and stress response. However, little is known about the relationships among sRNAs, hormone signaling, and dormancy regulation in gymnosperm embryos. To investigate the roles of sRNAs in embryo dormancy maintenance and release in Larix leptolepis, we deciphered the endogenou...

As one of two sexual products resulting from double fertilization in angiosperms, the endosperm nourishes its compatriot embryo during seed development and/or germination and ultimately dies. Theoretical studies suggest that the genetic relatedness of an endosperm to its embryo in the same seed might determine the amount of resources ultimately available for the embryo during seed development. ...

Myrica gale L. (sweet gale) fruit leachate contains myrigalone A (MyA), a rare C-methylated dihydrochalcone and putative allelochemical, which is known to be a phytotoxin impeding seedling growth. We found that MyA inhibited Lepidium sativum L. seed germination in a dose-dependent manner. MyA did not affect testa rupture, but inhibited endosperm rupture and the transition to subsequent seedling...

With the spread of pollinosis caused by sugi (Japanese cedar, Cryptomeria japonica) pollen, use pollen-free somatic seedlings is expected in Japan. However, there a lack knowledge on relationship between abilities during embryogenesis, initial vitro growth traits, and subsequent seedlings. In present study, we provide first basic information embryo maturation efficiency, germination, plantlet c...

Detailed expression analysis of the Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst) Viviparous 1 (Pavp1) and p34cdc2 (cdc2Pa) genes was carried out during somatic embryogenesis. Pavp1, a gene associated with embryo development, was expressed in proliferating embryogenic suspension cultures in the absence of exogenous ABA. When somatic embryo formation was promoting by blocking proliferation, Pavp1 expre...

Seeds from 30 species of grasses and forbs native to Pacific Northwest prairies were tested for physical and physiological dormancy. The physical dormancy was determined by mechanically and chemically scarifying seeds. Physiological dormancy was evaluated with cold stratification before germination. Experiments were analyzed individually with ANOVA analysis, and by seed lots through time using ...

Citrus rootstock breeding is important to improve their resistance diseases, pests and adverse environmental conditions. The majority of citrus species have nuceller embryony. Although Clementine mandarin monoembryonic, in some cases (intercrossing etc.) abortive seed formation can be seen frequently. In this study, × Carrizo citrange were crossed. the interspecies hybridization (Citrus Ponciru...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Plant growth regulators play an important role in seed germination. However, much of the current knowledge about their function during seed germination was obtained using orthodox seeds as model systems, and there is a paucity of information about the role of plant growth regulators during germination of recalcitrant seeds. In the present work, two endangered woody species w...