Plant hormone interactions during seed dormancy release and germination

2005/12/01 by Birgit Kucera, Marc Alan Cohn, Gerhard Leubner-Metzger +1 · 8 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant Molecular Biology Research #Plant tissue culture and regeneration #Seed Germination and Physiology

paper · doi:10.1079/ssr2005218

openalex publication_date 2005/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30

Abstract

This review focuses mainly on eudicot seeds, and on the interactions between abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellins (GA), ethylene, brassinosteroids (BR), auxin and cytokinins in regulating the interconnected molecular processes that control dormancy release and germination. Signal transduction pathways, mediated by environmental and hormonal signals, regulate gene expression in seeds. Seed dormancy release and germination of species with coat dormancy is determined by the balance of forces between the growth potential of the embryo and the constraint exerted by the covering layers, e.g. testa and endosperm. Recent progress in the field of seed biology has been greatly aided by molecular approaches utilizing mutant and transgenic seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana and the Solanaceae model systems, tomato and tobacco, which are altered in hormone biology. ABA is a positive regulator of dormancy induction and most likely also maintenance, while it is a negative regulator of germination. GA releases dormancy, promotes germination and counteracts ABA effects. Ethylene and BR promote seed germination and also counteract ABA effects. We present an integrated view of the molecular genetics, physiology and biochemistry used to unravel how hormones control seed dormancy release and germination.

Citations

• Insensitivity to Ethylene Conferred by a Dominant Mutation in Arabidopsis thaliana
• A classification system for seed dormancy

Cited by

• Grain dormancy loss is associated with changes in ABA and GA sensitivity and hormone accumulation in bread wheat,Triticum aestivum(L.)
• (Epi)genetic control of secondary seed dormancy depth and germination in Capsella bursa-pastoris
• Molecular mechanisms of seed dormancy
• Abscisic acid inhibits germination of Striga seeds and is released by them likely as a rhizospheric signal supporting host infestation
• The gibberellin biosynthetic genes AtGA20ox1 and AtGA20ox2 act, partially redundantly, to promote growth and development throughout the Arabidopsis life cycle
• High temperature and drought stress cause abscisic acid and reactive oxygen species accumulation and suppress seed germination growth in rice
• TaSRO1 recruits the histone deacetylase TaHIS1 to repress TaABI5 and fine-tune ABA signaling during seed dormancy release in wheat
• Influence of cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on germination and plant biomass of Trifolium pratense L.

Related

• Molecular mechanisms of seed dormancy
• Genetic Control and Integration of Maturation and Germination Pathways in Seed Development
• (Epi)genetic control of secondary seed dormancy depth and germination in Capsella bursa-pastoris
• Molecular mechanisms underlying the entrance in secondary dormancy of Arabidopsis seeds
• Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) signalling in seed dormancy release, perception of environmental cues, and heat stress response