Study uncovers how seeds are kept in dormancy until the appearance of favorable conditions for germination
Seed germination is a crucial step in the life cycle of a plant. This is why the small embryo is maintained in a state of dormancy until the appearance of optimal environmental conditions. The quality of its sleep is insured by the envelope of the seed, which continuously produces a hormone named ABA. A study led by the universities of Pohang (POSTECH), Zurich (UZH) and Geneva (UNIGE) reveals how the transport of the hormone to the embryo is controlled, for which no less than four transporters are involved. Published in Nature Communications, these results should also have practical applications, since this knowledge can be integrated in breeding programs to avoid producing seeds displaying premature germination and, so, cutting economic and environmental losses.