PERKECAMBAHAN

Metabolisme Perkecambahan

Tahap I
Proses awal
perkecambahan
(sebelum gejala
perkecambahan
nampak)

1. Imbibisi:
*Permeabilitas kulit benih
* Komposisi kimia benih
* Suhu
* Konsentrasi air
2. Reaktivasi:
* enzim
* respirasi (lintasan respirasi)
* organel sel
* sintesis RNA dan protein
3. Inisiasi pertumbuhan embrio
4. Retaknya kulit benih: munculnya akar
menembus kulit benih (emerge)

Metabolisme Perkecambahan

Tahap II
Proses lanjut
perkecambahan
(sesudah gejala
perkecambahan
tampak diawali dengan
munculnya akar
menembus kulit benih)

- Perombakan cadangan makanan

* karbohidrat
* lemak
* protein
* phytin
- Respirasi (lintasan respirasi)
- Pertumbuhan kecambah
- Peranan fitohormon dalam
metabolisme perkecambahan

Seed development, arrest and germination

Seed

Embryo
Seed coat
Thick walled cells, waxy

Nutritive tissue
Endospermic vs. non-endospermic

Seed maturation
Takes place in the fruit on the parent plant
Endospermous seeds: Retain the endosperm
tissue, which eventually dies but it is surrounded
by a layer of living cells, the aleurone layer.
Non-endospermous seeds: The endosperm
tissue is absorbed by the cotyledons. These
then become the food reserve for the seed.

Dormancy

Metabolism falls
Number of organelles per cell falls
Dehydration water content falls
Vacuoles in cells deflate
Food reserves become dense crystalline bodies

Advantages of Seed Dormancy

Favors seedling survival
Creates a seed bank
Seed dispersal (birds)
Synchronizes germination with seasons

Relative Hormone Level

Triphasic Changes In Seed Hormone Balance

Overwintering of Seeds in the ground
100

75
ABA (Inhibits)
Cytokinin
Gibberellin

50

25

14oC

Days of Cold Stratification

Types of Dormancy in Seed

Quiescent The seeds are able to Germinate upon
imbibition of water at permissive temperatures.
Primary Dormancy Seeds cannot germinate
even if immediate conditions are right. This form of
dormancy delays germination until season, or other
macro-environmental issues are right for survival.
Secondary Dormancy An additional level of
Protection to prevent germination. Can be induced
under very unfavorable conditions such as drought
or cold, etc.

Types of Dormancy in Seed

Exogenous Dormancy - Imposed by
factors outside the embryo. Seed coat.
Endogenous Dormancy Imposed by
factors within the embryo.
Underdeveloped embryo.

Exogenous Dormancy
Physical Impermeable seed coat : Scarification
Mechanical Seed covering restricts radical :
Removal
Chemical Inhibitors in seed coat : Removal /
Leaching

Endogenous Dormancy
Morphological - Underdeveloped embryo : Warm
Stratification
Physiological
Non-Deep After Ripening : Dry storage
Photo-dormant : Exposure to red
light.
Intermediate Embryo/coat separation : Cold
Stratification
Epicotyl Epicotyl dormant : Warm - Cold
Stratification

Types of Dormancy in Seed

Double Dormancy - Any combination

of endogenous and exogenous factors
Secondary Dormancy - Factors outside the
seed induce dormancy after the seed was
previously non-dormant. High Soil
Temperatures (Thermo-dormancy)

Double Dormancy
Morpho-physiological Some combination of
underdeveloped embryo and physiological dormancy:
Cycles of warm and cold stratification.
Exo-Endodormancy Combination of exogenous and
endogenous dormancy conditions
Sequential combinations of dormancy releasing
treatments, Eg. Scarification followed by cold
stratification

Secondary Dormancy

Thermo-dormancy - High temperatures induce

dormancy
Growth regulators or Cold stratification
Conditional Change in ability to
germinate is related to time of year.
Chilling or Warm stratification

Photodormancy
Photodormancy : A type of dormancy
where the ability of the seed to germinate
is controlled by the wavelengths and
durations of light received by the embryo.
Lettuce, Butterflyweed, Tobacco

Maintaining dormancy
Physical barriers
The seed coat (testa) is waxy = waterproof and
impermeable to oxygen
Physical state dehydrated
Chemical inhibitors present e.g. salts, mustard
oils, organic acids, alkaloids
Growth promoters absent

Seed viability
Viability: When a seed is capable of
germinating after all the necessary
environmental conditions are met.
Average life span of a seed 10 to 15 years.
Some are very short-lived e.g. willow (< 1 week)
Some are very long-lived e.g. mimosa 221 years
Conditions are very important for longevity
Cold, dry, anaerobic conditions
These are the conditions which are maintained
in seed banks

Germination: The breaking of

dormancy
The growth of the embryo and its penetration of the seed
coat down of barriers
Break
Abrasion of seed coat
(soil particles)
Decomposition of seed
coat (soil microbes, gut
enzymes)
Cracking of seed coat
Destruction and dilution
(fire)
of inhibitors
Light, temperature, water

Change in physical
state - rehydration

Production of growth
promoters

Germination
STAGE

EVENTS

PREGERMINATION

(a) Rehydration imbibition of water.

(b) RNA & protein synthesis stimulated.
(c) Increased metabolism increased
respiration.
(d) Hydrolysis (digestion) of food reserves
by enzymes.
(e) Changes in cell ultrastructure.
(f) Induction of cell division & cell
growth.

GERMINATION

(a) Rupture of seed coat.

(b) Emergence of seedling, usually
radicle first.

POST
GERMINATION

(a) Controlled growth of root and shoot

axis.
(b) Controlled transport of materials from
food stores to growing axis.

Stages leading to cell division

Mitchondria
reconstitute
d

Respiration
Initially anaerobic
Later aerobic

Soluble
sugars

ATP
RNA activated
Polysomes
Protein synthesis
(0.5h)
Enzymes
(proteins)
DNA synthesis
(45h)
http://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/
Mitosis (70h)

The control of food reserve

hydrolysis

Control by growth promotors such as

gibberellin and growth inhibitors such as
abscisic acid
These directly affect the genes for enzyme
synthesis or the activity of the enzymes
themselves
The growth substances are affected by
environmental factors (e.g. light,
temperature, humidity)

The control of food reserve

hydrolysis
Negative feedback control of enzymes
Negative
feedback
Starch +
H20

- amylase

Maltose

The action of the enzyme also limited by

substrate
Once all the starch in an amyloplast is
hydrolysed the enzyme stops work
Therefore the release of the stored food is
adjusted to suite the demand

The mobilisation of food reserves

Carbohydr
ates
Proteins
Lipids

Starches
Maltose and
(amylopectin Amylases
glucose
& amylose)
e.g. Zein
Protease Amino acids
s
Oils
Lipases
Fatty acids
& glycerol

The food reserves are stored as large insoluble

macromolecules
They are hydrolysed using enzymes to smaller
soluble molecules for transport

Seed development, arrest and germination

Multiple hormone controls (Fig. 16.10)
GA and IAA correlated with rapid cell division and
differentiation
ABA promotes arrest and dormancy
Via dehydration & inactivates many receptors
At maturation arrest occurs embryo inactive and
seed dehydrated

Seed development, arrest and germination

Germination =
> imbibition of water
> resumption of metabolism
- hydrolitic enzymes mobilize food reserves
- Carbohydrate respired &/or gluconeogenesis of
fats - resumption of embryo expansion
> seed coat ruptures radicle (first root) emerges
Seeds time germination w/ sensors
E.g. cryptochrome, phytochrome

GA promotes germination

In corn and
other grasses,

5. GA also promotes also lipase and protease production

IAA stimulates seedling growth

Barley Seed Germination

exocytosis
-amylase

monocot

radicle
apex
water
imbibition

GA

DNA

tra
n nsc
ri

growth

Embryo

pti
o

RNA

shoot apex

Aleurone Layer
Storage Protein
hyd
rol
ysi
s

sugar

cotyledon

t i on

d
hy

Fruit+Seed Coat
Endosperm

starch

tran
sla

maltose

is
s
ly
ro

Amino Acids

Capsella Seed:
Embryo
Seed Coat
Endosperm

Shoot Apex
Cotyledons - dicot
Hypocotyl
Radicle
Root Apex

Micropyle

Lettuce Seed Germination

shoot apex

is
s
y
r ol
d
hy

starch

Seed Coat

sugar
cotyledons

DNA

tra
n nsc
rip
tio

Embryo

grow
t

RNA

tra

dicot

ns
lati
on

-amylase

phytochrome

radicle
apex
water
imbibition

photoreversibilit
y
660
Pfr
Pr
nm
photoactivation
730
nmdark

red and
white light
stimulate
germination

Rest vs. dormancy

Rest = germinates w/ water, warmth (25-45o C) and O2
Dormancy = seeds req more developmental signals
Maturation of embryo reqd =After-ripening
Seed coat impermeable to water and O2
Scarification reqd
Leaching of inhibitors such as ABA, phenolics, coumarin, etc.
E.g. many desert annuals
Chilling
Stratification reqd
Light
Sensor is phytochrome

Germination Environment
Moisture / Humidity
Temperature Range
Light Level and Quality
Aeration (Oxygen in Soil)
Soil pH and Nutrition
Air Movement

Irradiation
Germination Of Lettuce

Fleshy Berry Seed

Handling Tiny Seeds

Some seeds can be
smaller than the tip of
a pin. They can also
be very expensive. A
very careful approach
is often needed to be
efficient and successful
planting tiny seeds

Handling Tiny Seeds

Mix Seed with Sand

Preconditioning Seeds
(for more uniform germination)
Mechanical scarification
Soaking In Water
Acid Scarification
Moist Chilling / Freezing
Double Dormancy

Mechanical Scarification

Acid Scarification
An alternative to
scraping the seed
coat is to use acid
to etch through
the coat. There
are many reference
books that advise
which acid and
how long to treat.

Hot Water Scarification

Water temperature should be over 110OF
Let soak for a few
hours. Stir often.
Do not re-heat
the water.
Plant ASAP.

Seed Soaking / Leaching

Seed soaking optimizes the amount of imbibed
seeds and evens out the stage of imbibition by
insuring 100% moisture availability
Soaking too long
can cause anoxia
and reduced
germination. 12-36
hours is a very
common soaking
Period.

Thermo-hydro-LimitationsTime
Each species has a requirement for how many
hours the seed radical is exposed to a critical
level of moisture and/or soil temperature.
Example: Cold, saturated soil inhibits corn
seedling radical growth after onset of
germination.
Local control: Use a heating pad and well
drained soils!

Moist Stratification: Cold or Warm