There are several reasons why viable imbibed seeds may fail to germinate. Some seeds (quiescent) do not germinate because all of the requirements for embryo growth have not been met. In some cases these requirements are fulfilled by a combination of low temperatures and time (stratification). Ethylene will not promote the germination of quiescent seeds, nor does it appear to have the ability to alter the requirement for a rest period. Some seeds have the ability to grow butdo not germinate because the embryo cannot overcome the physical restraint of the seed coat. In these dormant seeds there is a poorly understood relationship between embryo growth and seed coat restraint. Once this restraint is relaxed, the embryo of many seeds are capable of elongation and cell division. Ethylene will overcome dormancy and promote germination in half of the species tested. When it does, it appears to act by stimulating embryos so they develop the force needed to penetrate the seed coat. The ability of ethephon to promote the germination of peanut seeds is illustrated in Figure 5.4.
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