Seed Germination, Dormancy and Storage1.

May 19, 2016

1
A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Crop Science I
laboratory under Prof. Jefferson F. Paril, 2nd sem., 2015-2016.
 Introduction

A seed is a matured ovule or a small embryonic plant enclosed in a seed coat, usually

with some stored food. In seed germination, the seed exhibits development to grow into a new

plant. There are two types of seed germination namely, hypogeal where the reserve tissue is

above the soil, and epigeal germination, wherein the reserved tissue is beneath the soil.

Dormancy is the stage in which the seed cannot germinate in a period even though

favourable environmental factors are present within the area. A seed which is not dormant, can

germinate over the widest range of normal physical environmental factors possible for the

genotype (The Seed Biology Place - Seed Dormancy, 2005). Seed dormancy helps the seed to

protect itself from the dangers of environment (Holmes and Buszewicz, 1958).

Seed storage is definitely important because it helps the seeds to maintain their viability.

Each seeds have their own requirement in terms of seed storage like their required moisture

content. This is the preservation of viable seeds from the time of their collection until they are

needed.

The specific objectives of this study were:

1. to discuss some basic seed quality attributes including seed viability, dormancy, and

moisture content

2. to demonstrate some tests for seed viability

3. to conduct some special treatments for breaking dormancy

4. to explain the basic principles of seed storage

 Materials and Method

For the germination pattern of dicot and monocot seeds:

Choose fifty seed representatives for each dicot (soybean) and monocot (maize). Place

the fifty monocot seeds in moist filter paper and fold it till it reach the end of the moist filter

paper. Don’t let the seeds dry and pour enough clean and pure water on the filter paper to

maintain the moisture of the seeds. Observe the germination pattern of these seeds every day for

one week. Make illustrations of the day to day observations. For each, day, choose five

representatives from the fifty seeds, and measure their shoot and root lengths (cm). Get the

average lengths of the five seedlings. These experiment also apply on the dicot seeds.

For breaking the dormancy of Lucaena leucocephala (ipil-ipil) seeds:

Divide the given seedlots of ipil-ipil into four equal portions. Using 30-50 seeds, do the

following treatments: (a) rubbing on sandpaper, (b) clipping or removing part of the seed coat by

using nail cutter, (c) soaking in hot water in 50 degree Celsius for 10 minutes, (d) untreated or

control. For each treatment, conduct a germination test using the rolled filter paper techniques.

Use polyethylene bags to place the germinated samples to conserve moisture. On the following

week, count the number of normal seedlings and get their percentage germination.

For the effect of the initial moisture content on the storability of rice seeds:

Obtain two seedlots of rice, harvested at the same time, one seedlot dried to a moisture of
18-20% and another dried to moisture content of 14% or below. These seeds are kept for three

months in paper bags at ordinary room condition. Conduct germination test for both treatments

using 50 seeds replicated twice. Use rolled filter paper technique. Keep germinated samples

inside polyethylene bags. Compute percentage germination.

For the storability of recalcitrant seeds:

Secure any fruit in season whose seeds show a recalcitrant seed storage behavior. Divide

the given fruits into two equal parts. Extract and clean the seeds. The first treatment will consist

of freshly extracted seeds. For the other treatment, store seeds for one week under ordinary room

condition. Germinate 10 seeds for each treatment using sand as medium. Replicate two times.

Count the number of seeds germinated after one week. Compute percentage germination.
 Results and Discussions

The data gathered on the first experiment was illustrated on table 1.a. and Table 1.b. The

highest mean growth of shoots of the maize (Zea mays) seeds were observed on Day 7 with

4.46cm shoot length mean. The highest mean growth of shoots of the soybean (Glycine max)

seeds were observed on day 4 with 1.96cm shoot length mean.

Table 1. a. The daily mean growth of shoots and roots of maize (Zea mays)

DAY Shoot Length (cm) Root Length (cm)

1 2 3 4 5 AVE. 1 2 3 4 5 AVE.
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 1.4 0.8 0.9 1.8 0.9 1.16 2.5 1.5 2.9 1.7 1.3 1.98
4 2.8 1.5 1.5 3.0 1.0 1.96 2.8 2.1 3.0 2.0 1.5 2.28
5 4.3 2.2 2.9 3.3 2.4 3.02 3.0 2.6 2.5 1.9 2.0 2.4
6 5.5 3.2 3.9 4.0 3.0 3.92 3.0 2.7 2.5 2.0 3.0 2.64
7 5.9 4.0 4.0 4.5 3.9 4.46 3.0 2.7 2.5 2.0 3.0 2.64

Table 1.b. Daily mean growth of shoot and roots of soybean (Glycine max)
DAY Shoot Length (cm) Root Length (cm)
1 2 3 4 5 AVE. 1 2 3 4 5 AVE.
1 2.1 1.2 1.6 2 2.1 1.8 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 2.5 4.2 4.4 3.3 3.4 3.56 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 3.2 5.6 6.4 5.2 6.7 5.42 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 6.5 7.2 7.5 6.6 7.1 6.98 0 0 0 0 0 0

As seen in Table 1.a. and Table 1.b., the rate of seed development of soybean (Glycine

max) is fast compared to the maize (Zea mays). Also, it was observed that the maize (Zea mays)

plant exhibited hypogeal germination while the soybean (Glycine max) exhibited epigeal

germination.
 Based on the results, monocot plants like maize (Zea mays) exhibit hypogeal germination

while dicot plants like soybean (Glycine max) exhibit epigeal germination. The highest daily

mean growth of the shoot was observed on Day 7, 4.46 cm for the corn (Zea mays) and on Day

4, 6.98cm for the soybean (Glycine max). On the other hand, root growth was only observed in

maize (Zea mays) and not on the soybean (Glycine max). This may also be caused by human

errors committed during the observation period.

The data gathered on the second experiment is illustrated on Table 2. The ipil-ipil

(Leucaena leucocephala) seeds that were rubbed on a sand paper rendered the highest percent of

germination mean.

Table 2. The percent germination mean of ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) under different
treatments
Treatment 1 2 Average
Rubbing on 43.4 13.3 28.3
sandpaper
Clipping 13.3 33.3 23.3
Soaking in hot water 0 0 0
Control 6.6 6.6 6.6

As seen on Table 2, the ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) seeds that went under the

treatment of rubbing on sandpaper gained the highest with percent mean germination of 28.3%.

Rubbing on sand paper treatment was followed by clipping with 23.3% then control treatment

with 6.6%. The treatment the resulted into the lowest percent mean germination is soaking in hot

water with 0%.

 The data gathered on the third experiment was illustrated on Table 3. The rice (Oryza

sativa) seeds which receives 20% moisture have the lowest percent germination mean value.

Table 3. The % germination of 20% and 11% moisture in rice (Oryza sativa)

% Germination

Treatment Replication

1 2 Average

18-20% (20%) 0 0 0

Moisture

14% below 80 84 82

(11%) Moisture

As seen on Table 3, rice (Oryza sativa) seeds with 20% moisture have the lowest percent

germination with 0% germination mean value. Those seeds with 11% moisture have high percent

germination with 82% germination mean value.

Based on the observation, rice (Oryza sativa) seeds with high moisture content tend to

have low percent germination value while rice (Oryza sativa) seeds with low moisture content

have high percent germination value.

Orthodox seeds favors 14% or below moisture content in order to be viable. High

moisture content can cause fungal infection in the seeds which gives the seeds low viability.

Seeds stored with low moisture content was seen to have high germination rates while if stored

with high moisture, low or no germination of seeds at all.

 The data gathered on the fourth experiment was illustrated on Table 4. The freshly

extracted cacao (Theobroma cacao) rendered the highest percent germination mean.

Table 4. The % germination of stored and freshly extracted cacao (Theobroma cacao) seeds

% Germination

Treatment Replication

1 2 Average

Freshly extracted 0 90 45
seeds

Stored for one week 0 0 0

As seen on Table 4, the percent germination mean value of freshly extracted cacao

(Theobroma cacao) seeds rendered high with 45% germination mean value. This is followed by

cacao (Theobroma cacao) seeds which are stored for one week with 0% germination mean value.

Based on the observations, freshly extracted seeds have higher percent germination mean

value while those seeds that were stored for one week have low percent germination mean value.

Recalcitrant seeds need constant moisture in order to survive. Drying out the seeds even

for a week deactivates or even destroys vital enzymes contained within the seed.
 Summary and Conclusion

Seeds are considered as the basic propagation unit in crop production. These seeds either

undergo hypogeal or epigeal germination. Epigeal germination is mostly exhibited by dicot seeds

while hypogeal germination is exhibited by monocot seeds.

On the other side, there are many treatments to break seed dormancy, such as rubbing

seeds on sand paper, clipping seeds, placing seeds on hot water, and under control. Rubbing

seeds on sand paper is the most effective way of breaking seed dormancy. In the treatment of

clipping seeds, it seemed that it was not that effective due to the fact that it may damage the

embryo during the said treatment that may later inhibit growth and development. However, the

hot water treatment for the seeds also seemed to destroy the seed since dipping the seed on the

hot water might remove the structure of proteins required for the seed to develop.

Lastly, there are two types of seeds namely, orthodox and recalcitrant. Orthodox seeds’

germination rates are dependent on their initial moisture content. Their germination require low

moisture content. Recalcitrant seeds, on the other hand, are more dependent on the parent plant

as it still needs the moisture that it has gained as the seed develops in the plant’s fruits.

Recalcitrant are much more dependent on moisture content and will die out even under few

environmental changes. Their germination requires high moisture content. Changes in the

moisture content is a great factor of the percent germination of orthodox and recalcitrant seeds.
 Literature Cited

http://www.biologyreference.com/Fo-Gr/Fruits.html

http://www.seedbiology.de/dormancy.asp

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/ad232e/ad232e07.htm