GOVERNMENT POST GRADUATE COLLEGE

ASSIGNMENT#02
SUBMITTED TO: PROFESSOR MUHAMMAD EJAZ
SUBMITTED BY: MADIHA ARSHAD ,KIRAN SHABIR, ALISHA ZAKIR
ROLL NO: 28,29,30
TOPIC: DORMANCY (DEFINITION,CAUSES,METHODS TO BREAK SEED
DORMANCY)
DEPARTMENT: BS - BOTANY
SUBJECT: PLANT PHYSIOLOGY - II
SEMESTER: 8TH
SESSION: 2019-23
• INTRODUCTION:
=> Dormancy:
• During the developmental cycle of the plant at some phase certain
structures like buds, tubers, seeds, go though a period of temporary
suspension of growth activity or slow down for a period of time or deep
sleep , such a state is called dormancy.
• This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to
conserve to energy.
• Dormant= not active or growing but able to become active later.
• Wareing (1969) defined Dormancy as any phase in the life cycle of
a plant in which active growth is temporary suspended.
• Seed Dormancy:
• It is the incapicity of fully developed , mature, viable seed to
germinate even under favourable conditions.
• In such cases , the completely Dry ripe seed is physiological inactive
and is said to be in a resting stage .
• The seed is called dormant and the phenomenon is termed dormancy.
=> THE MAIN REASON BEHIND THIS CONDITION IS THAT
THEY REQUIRE A PERIOD OF REST BEFORE BEING CAPABLE
OF GERMINATION.
=> THIS CONDITIONS MAY VARY FROM DAYS TO MONTHS
AND EVEN YEARS.
 • TYPES OF SEEDS DORMANCY:
=>Innate dormancy:
• It is a condition of seeds which is incapable of germination even if conditions
suitable for seedling growth are supplied. This inability to germinate may be
due in certain species to the embryo being immature at the time of dispersal.
=>Enforced dormancy:
It is the condition of seeds which is incapable of germination due to an
environmental restraint which includes, an adequate amount of moisture, oxygen,
light and a suitable temperature
=>Induced dormancy:
• This type of seed dormancy occurs when the seed has imbibed water, but has
been placed under extremely unfavorable conditions for germination. Finally,
seed fails to germinate even under more favourable conditions.
DURING THE ENTIRE PROCESS,THERE MAY BE FOLLOWING
THREE PHASES OF DORMANCY:
1) Pre-dormancy or early rest:
During these phase, the dormant organ has capacity to resume growth by
various treatments; i.e; capacity of germination or growth is not completely lost.
It is called Pre-dormancy
2) Full dormancy or mind rest :When a seed or organ becomes completely
dormant and germination or growth cannot be induced by changes
environmental conditions, it is called full dormancy or mid rest.
3) Post dormancy or after rest: When a dormant seed or organ gradually
emerges from full dormancy and in it the germination or growth can be induced
by changing environmental conditions , It is called Post-dormancy or after rest.
• CAUSES OF SEED DORMANCY :
∆ Light sensitive seeds:
• There are two types of light sensitivity:
=> Positive photoblastic seeds:
Seeds of most of the species germinate equally well both in the dark and in light .
Therefore light is not necessary for germination .However , seeds of some species like
lettuce remain dormant in dark. They do not germinate till these are exposed to light
. These are called positive photoblastic seeds Therefore dark inhibits germination in
these seeds.
=> Negative photoblastic seeds :
Seeds of some species like phlox, Nemophila, and Silence remain dormant when
exposed to light. They germinate only in dark.These are called negative photoblastic
seeds.
=>Chilling requirements:
•Seeds of many temperate trees remains dormant and do not germinate
after harvest .Its examples are apple, Walnut, and inus. such seeds need
chilling temperature (1-5°C) for a few weeks. This requirements is met in
nature. These seeds lie buried on the soil during winter. Therefore they get
chilling temperature. But some seeds become dormant in nature . They need
artificial chilling.
=>Dormancy due to growth inhibitory chemicals :
There are several naturally occurring compounds which inhibits germination of
seeds .Seeds of many species contain several phenolic compounds. These
phenolic compounds are ferulic acid, parasorbic acid, and coumarian. These
compounds are present in the embryo or in the seed coats. They inhibits the
germination. Sometimes an inhibitory hormone absicic acid prevent
germination.
Hard seed coat:
• phenolic compounds in the seed coat contribute to seed hardness and
inhibition of microorganism growth. During germination, the seed coat
protects the seed from hydration stress and electrolyte leakage.
• Hard seed means a seed that has an impermeable seed coat and has
not absorbed water by the end of the prescribed test period.
=> Immature embryo:
• The physiological state of the embryo causes dormancy in such seeds.
Even if the seed coverings are removed, the embryos of such seeds will
not grow when they first mature. During the period of dormancy, some
physiological changes called after-ripening occur in the embryo before
the seed is capable of germination.
=>Mechanical resistance seed Coats:
In some seeds as those of mustard (Brassica), pigweed (Amaranthus), shepherd’s
purse (Capsella), the seed-coats are so strong that they do not yield to the
pressure of the expanding embryo. The embryos of these seeds have no
dormant period and will grow readily if the seed coats are removed.
Seed-coats impermeable to oxygen :
• The two seeds in a cocklebur (Xanthium) fruit are not dormant in the same way.
The lower seed normally germinates in the spring following maturity in natural
settings, while the top seed remains dormant until the following year. The
impermeability of the seed coverings to oxygen has been shown to be the cause
of dormancy in these seeds.
=>Germination inhibitors: Many species’ seeds fail to germinate even when the
embryos are completely developed when the seed is ripe, even though the
environmental conditions are excellent. In such seeds, dormancy is caused by the
physiological state of the embryo. The embryos of such seeds will not grow
when they initially mature, even if the seed covers are removed. Inhibitors may
be present in the embryo (example, in Xanthium), endosperm, (example, in Iris)
or in the seed coat (example, in Cucurbita). Abscissic acid (ABA) is one of the
most commonly detected inhibitors of germination.
 METHODS TO BREAK DOWN SEED DORMANCY:
• Scarification :
Scarification; is a term used to describe any physical or chemical treatment that
weakens the seed coat. When a hard seen coat imposes dormancy, such as in legumes
like Cajanus cajan (tur), gram, and others, the scarification method is used.
The seeds are manually rubbed on sand paper. When rubbing seeds such as green
gram and subabool, care should be taken not to injure the axis of the seed.When the
seed coat is too hard, especially if it is of a woody type, the seed coat must be broken
off completely. Rubber (Havea spp.) seed, for example, is used to make India teak
wood.
• Soaking treatment: Eliminates seed coat impermeability by soaking hard seed coats
in a concentrated or diluted sulfuric acid solution for 1 to 60 minutes. Cotton seeds,
for example, and India teak wood seeds.
• Temperature treatments:
• Temperature Treatments; when dormancy is caused by embryo factor, the seed is
incubated at a low temperature (0–5°C) on a substratum for 3 to 10 days, allowing
it to reach its optimum temperature. Germination necessitates the presence of this
ingredient. - Take mustard, for example (Brassica campestrits). Before germinating at
the proper temperature, some seeds required a brief period of incubation (from a
few hours to one to five days) at 40 to 50°C. (When using this approach, make sure
the seed has a moisture level of no more than 15%, for example, paddy) (Oryza
sativa). Breaking hard-seed ness in legumes with hot water treatment is also an
effective strategy. The seeds are steeped in water at a temperature of 80°C for 1–5
minutes in this approach before putting for germination (depending up on the type
of seed)
• Light treatments:
Light Treatments; some seeds do not germinate in dark thus are providing with
continuous or periodic exposure of light is essential for example Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
required red light (660 nm) or white light is essential for germination to occur.
• Dry storage:
It is often sufficient to store the sample in a dry spot for a short amount of time for
species where dormancy is naturally short.
• Pre-heating:
The germination replicates should be heated for up to seven days at a temperature of
not more than 40°C with free air circulation before being placed under the
appropriate germination conditions. It may be essential to lengthen the pre-heat
duration in some circumstances.
• Light:
The seed should be illuminated during at least 8 hours in every 24 hours cycle
and during the high temperature period when the seeds are germinated at
alternating temperatures. The light intensity should be approximately 750–
1250 lux from cool white lamps.
• Potassium nitrate (KNO3):
The germination substratum may be moistened with a 0.2 per cent solution of
KNO3, prepared by dissolving 2 gm KNO3 in one liter of water. The substratum
is saturated at the beginning of the test, but water is used for moistening it
thereafter.