ABSTRACT
Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 152 Seed Dormancy and Crucifers ....................................................................................................... 152
Categories of Dormancy............................................................................................................ 152 Primary Dormancy in Brassica napus ......................................................................................154 Secondary Dormancy in Brassica napus ..................................................................................154 Factors Affecting the Development of Dormancy ..................................................................... 155
Temperature .......................................................................................................................... 155 Air ......................................................................................................................................... 156 Light ..................................................................................................................................... 157 Water Potential ..................................................................................................................... 157 Seed Age and Storage Conditions ........................................................................................ 158
Genotypic Differences in the Development of Dormancy ........................................................ 158 Abscisic Acid (ABA) and Seed Dormancy .................................................................................... 159
Correlation of ABA with Seed Dormancy and Other Markers ................................................. 159 ABA Synthesis and Metabolism ............................................................................................... 160 ABA and Seed Maturation in Brassica napus...........................................................................160 Sensitivity to ABA..................................................................................................................... 160 Molecular Approaches .............................................................................................................. 161
Seed Viability and Longevity in Crucifers ..................................................................................... 161 Background Information about Viability .................................................................................. 161 Viability Determination in Crucifers ......................................................................................... 162
Invention Description ........................................................................................................... 162 Viability in Storage ................................................................................................................... 163 Factors Affecting Viability in Storage ....................................................................................... 164
Moisture Content .................................................................................................................. 164 Temperature .......................................................................................................................... 164 Interrelationships .................................................................................................................. 164 Miscellaneous Factors .......................................................................................................... 165
Associated Microora with Crucifers and Seed Deterioration ................................................. 166 Effect of Aging and Loss of Viability Causes ........................................................................... 167
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 169 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................... 171 References ...................................................................................................................................... 171
The Brassicaceae family comprises about 3000 species of herbaceous plants within more than 300 genera, the majority of which are found in the Northern Hemisphere. Many common agricultural weeds, such as Brassica nigra (L.) Koch, B. rapa L., Cardaria draba (L.) Desv., Raphanus raphanistrum L., and Sinapis arvensis L., also belong to this family. The most important crop species from this family are the oilseed Brassicas — Brassica napus L., B. rapa L. (syn. B. campestris L.), and B. juncea Coss., which are generally referred to as rapeseed, oilseed rape, or canola. Other widely cultivated species in this family include B. oleracea L. (cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cauliower, and broccoli), B. chinensis L. (syn. B. napus var. chinensis; Chinese cabbage), Raphanus sativus L. (radish), and Armoracia rusticana Gaertn. (horseradish). The fruits of these species are usually dehiscent pod-like capsules; if they are longer than their width, they are called a silique; if they are as broad as they are long, they are called a silicula.
