ABSTRACT
After seed matures, germination follows, but these two processes are normally separated both by time and space. The interval between the two events may vary from a couple of hours to many years and from a few centimeters to thousands of kilometers. According to Pollock and Toole (1), the function of the seed is to carry its embryo plant through the hazards of time and space to a time and space where the new plant can grow, flower, and in its turn produce seeds. Delayed germination is not accidental-it represents the physiological mechanisms that keep the seed in a nongerminating state. Since young plants are vulnerable to the hazards of drought and extremes of heat and cold, it is advantageous for the seed to remain in an inactive condition until it reaches a time and space appropriate for germination. In the nongrowing condition, the seed moisture content is low and cell protoplasm is protected from damage owing to its low metabolic rate. The seed .thus survives on its own nutrient reserves for a long period.
