The Action of Plant Hormones on Endosperm Breakdown and Embryo Growth During Germination of Barley

Germination is the result of a number of physiological responses: endosperm breakdown resulting from the production of hydrolytic enzymes, rootlet growth, and coleoptile growth. The present results report the effects of GA₃, IAA, and ABA on these responses. It is concluded that initial endosperm cell wall breakdown can proceed normally under conditions where rootlet and coleoptile growth are severely inhibited. The implications of these findings to preharvest sprouting are discussed.