Dormancyprevents

Dormancyprevents is a term used to describe a set of interventions and treatments intended to prevent or reduce the dormancy of seeds, buds, and other plant tissues, thereby promoting earlier and more uniform germination and growth. The concept encompasses chemical, physical, environmental, and genetic approaches that keep propagules in a non-dormant or readily germinable state during storage and handling.

Chemical approaches include plant growth regulators such as gibberellins (GA3) and, in some species, nitrates or cytokinins to stimulate germination. Physical methods include scarification and thermal treatments. Environmental cues involve light, photoperiod, and temperature regimes, while genetic approaches favor cultivars with reduced innate dormancy or targeted modification of dormancy pathways.

Applications span crop production, seed industries, forestry, and ornamentals, improving germination rate and uniformity. Considerations include species differences, safety and regulatory status of chemicals, seed viability, and environmental impact.

In practice, dormancy prevention differs from dormancy-breaking treatments aimed at seeds already dormant, such as stratification or scarification. Research areas include hormonal balance, seed coat properties, and aging effects on dormancy.