Plumeria Q & A by Florida Colors NurseryAnswer
Mar 21, 2018 - 07:33 AM
We have already learned that seeds contain embryonic roots, stems, and leaves, and enough food to keep the plant growing until it has the ability to produce its own food through photosynthesis.
The first step in the germination process is the metabolic activation of a dormant seed
- Germination begins with the absorption of water, which causes gibberellin to be produced
- Gibberellin triggers the synthesis of amylase, which breaks down starch into maltose
- Maltose is either hydrolysed (to glucose) for energy, or polymerised (to cellulose) for cell wall formation
- This energy and cellular building blocks is used to promote cell division and the growth of a nascent shoot
Once the seed is metabolically activated, germination proceeds according to the following stages:
- The seed coat (testa) ruptures and the embryonic root (radicle) grows into the ground to extract key nutrients and minerals
- The cotyledon emerges and produces the growing shoot’s first leaves
- The growing plant can be divided into the epicotyl (embryonic shoot), hypocotyl (embryonic stem) and developing roots
