Seed Biology & Dormancy

How a seed decides to wait.

The physiology and mechanisms behind dormancy, imbibition, and germination — foundational science, explained from first principles, with the technical detail underneath for anyone who wants it.

Topics in this section

Seed Structure & Anatomy

Testa, embryo, cotyledon, endosperm, hilum, micropyle — what each part does and how structure relates to function.

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Physical vs Physiological Dormancy

Two very different reasons a viable seed won’t germinate, and why the distinction matters for treatment.

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Dormancy Classes & Baskin & Baskin’s System

The standard classification used across seed-biology literature, and how to recognise each class in practice.

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Germination Physiology

What actually triggers radicle emergence once dormancy is broken — water, oxygen, temperature, and signalling.

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Hormonal Regulation: ABA and GA

The abscisic-acid/gibberellin balance that underlies most dormancy and germination decisions.

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Seed Longevity & Ageing

What actually happens inside a seed in storage, and why some species outlast others by decades.

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