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Water-Impermeable Seed Coverings as Barriers to Germination

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Recent Advances in the Development and Germination of Seeds

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 187))

Abstract

Some seeds have water-impermeable coverings that prevent water entry into seeds and thereby prevent germination until the impermeability breaks down. Historically, such seeds have been termed “hard” because they do not imbibe water after a day or two and remain hard to the touch whereas nonhard seeds rapidly imbibe and become soft (Assoc. Off. Seed Anal., 1978). This type of physical “coat-imposed dormancy” prevents germination even though water is externally available.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Southern Weed Science Laboratory, USDA-ARS, P.O. Box 350, Stoneville, MS, 38776, USA

    G. H. Egley

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  1. G. H. Egley
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA

    Raymond B. Taylorson

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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York

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Egley, G.H. (1989). Water-Impermeable Seed Coverings as Barriers to Germination. In: Taylorson, R.B. (eds) Recent Advances in the Development and Germination of Seeds. NATO ASI Series, vol 187. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0617-7_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0617-7_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7894-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0617-7

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