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About this book
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.
Originally published in 1990.
Contents
Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. The occurrence of dormancy in the Gramineae; 2. Mutual influences of inflorescence and caryopsis parts on dormancy; 3. Environmental influences on seed dormancy; 4. Timing of dormancy; 5. Modelling the induction, maintenance and termination of dormancy in grass seeds; Bibliography; Index.
Customer Reviews
By: GM Simpson
297 pages, Illus, figs, tabs
...a most useful case study with a balanced coverage and an optimistic attitude to the future. Nature "...a major contribution to the literature on the nature of seed dormancy in that it integrates a diverse array of data into a conceptual model of the development, maintenance, and termination of seed dormancy in grasses. It will be of interest to students of seed dormancy in general, not just to those working on grasses. Reading this book will enlighten 'single-factor biologists' and those who think that dormancy is an 'all or nothing' process." Economic Botany "...a concisely and clearly written book that should be read by anyone studying seed dormancy and germination. It will also be of value to those interested in the general aspects of dormancy in plants." Carol Baskin, American Scientist