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Dormancy: a Factor Affecting Seed Survival in the Soil

  • Chapter
Viability of Seeds

Abstract

It is unfortunate that the term dormancy, when applied to seeds, has been used in at least two distinct ways. Sometimes any seed which is not in the process of germinating — e.g. a dry seed in storage — is said to be dormant. However, more commonly — and more usefully — the term is used in a more restricted sense to indicate that the seed, although viable, will not germinate under conditions normally considered to be adequate for germination, viz. when provided with a suitable temperature, adequate water and oxygen. In this chapter the term dormancy will be used in the more restricted sense. Before discussing its relationship with viability, however, it is necessary to distinguish between various types of dormancy.

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  1. E. H. Roberts
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, RG6 2AT, Reading, UK

    E. H. Roberts (Professor of Crop Production) (Professor of Crop Production)

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Roberts, E.H. (1972). Dormancy: a Factor Affecting Seed Survival in the Soil. In: Roberts, E.H. (eds) Viability of Seeds. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5685-8_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5685-8_11

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