Seed dormancy in grasses / G.M. Simpson.

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

The occurrence of dormancy in the gramineae -- Mutual influence of inflorescence and caryopsis parts on dormancy -- Environmental influences on seed dormancy -- Timing of dormancy -- Modelling the induction, maintenance and termination of dormancy in grass seeds.

Grasses are a principal source of food for mankind and play an important role in stabilizing the land surface of much of the globe. Understanding seed dormancy in the Gramineae is therefore of considerable significance to world agriculture and global ecology. This book provides a comprehensive review of the occurrence and explanation of seed dormancy in grasses. Experimental evidence is considered in depth for a single species, the wild oat (Avena fatua), probably the most widely studied species for understanding seed dormancy in the plant kingdom. The evidence for this species is compared with other examples among the Gramineae to reach some general conclusions about the nature of seed dormancy in grasses. Essential reading for all those who need to understand the mechanisms of seed dormancy, this book will be a valuable text for advanced students and professionals in plant physiology, crop science, plant breeding and agronomy.