Seed Fate Pathways: Filling the Gap between Parent and Offspring

摘要

Seeds are mature ovules containing an embryo and stored nutrients inside a protective seed coat. Seeds are the products of sexual reproduction in most vascular plants (i.e. gymnosperms and angiosperms) and are the means by which plants produce genetically diverse offspring capable of surviving in variable and changing environments. Mature seeds remain dormant (sensu Into] for days to many years, and in this state they are able to tolerate adverse conditions and stressful environments (e.g. intense cold, heat, drought, darkness) that could not be endured by most plants (Baskin and Baskin, 1998). The particulate nature and small size of seeds relative to mature, seed-bearing plants lend mobility and also make it possible for a plant to produce large numbers of seeds during its life. Seeds are the principal means by which plants move across landscapes. The biotic and abiotic factors that affect seeds have unparalleled importance in the demography and evolution of plants.