Under the Microscope: Dormancy Explained

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Seed that looks mature and healthy but won’t sprout could be dormant. What does this mean for seed supplies, and is there anything special you should do before sending in seed samples for testing to try and break it? No, says Holly Gelech, business development manager with Biovision Seed Labs.

Dormant seeds are still considered live and viable, but a high degree of dormancy could be a concern if the condition doesn’t break before spring, Gelech explains. What’s more, non-viable vs. dormant seeds may look very similar in an at-home germ evaluation in the kitchen window. To find out what causes higher levels of dormancy, how to test for it and what to do with samples before they’re sent to the lab, watch the video below.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL PAST EPISODES OF UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

If you cannot see the embedded video, click here.

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