The Exit from Dormancy and the Induction of Germination: Physiological and Molecular Aspects

Timing and location of germination are crucial for the chances of success of the newly produced plant, and, accordingly, the temporal and spatial pat­ terns of germination of the seeds of many species are finely tuned to the en­ vironmental scenario. Dormancy plays a central role in the adjustment of the behavior of seed populations to the restrictions and opportunities of a given environment (Chapter 8).