Seeds are complex structures that serve as dispersal units in angiosperms. Seeds consist of three specialized tissues with distinct roles and molecular compositions. Hence, the characterization of the genetic regulators that act within individual seed tissues, and how their activity changes during seed development and germination, has been a primary focus of seed research. However, our knowledge of the spatiotemporal modulation of genetic regulators within seeds, across different seed cell types, has been limited by the resolution of available techniques. In the last few years, the development and application of single-cell technologies in plants have enabled the elucidation of gene networks involved in various developmental processes at the cellular level. Some studies have applied these technologies to seeds, enabling further characterization of seed development and germination at the cellular level. Here, we review the current status of the application of single-cell technologies to seeds and present a workflow for conducting single-cell transcriptomics. Additionally, we discuss the integration of single-cell multi-omics, aiming to demonstrate the potential of single-cell technologies in enhancing our comprehension of the spatiotemporal regulations governing seed development and germination.

Leonurus cardiaca is a perennial mint species with a long history of use as a medicinal herb. It produces a wide variety of phytochemicals with pharmacological properties that are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, cardiac disorders, and to reduce inflammation. Surprisingly, scant information is available concerning its seed germination ecology. Hence, this study investigated the presence/kind of seed dormancy and the effects of several environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence. Seeds were collected from three populations, and they were subjected to germination and seedling emergence experiments in which environmental factors, including temperature, light, cold stratification, pH, osmotic stress, and depth of burial, were manipulated. Non-stratified seeds germinated over a range of alternating temperature regimes from 20/10 to 30/20°C, but they did not germinate at 15/5°C. Optimum germination occurred between 25/15 and 30/20°C. The presence or absence of light did not affect germination. Cold stratification at 4°C enhanced germination at the two coolest temperature regimes. Seed germination occurred over a solution pH range of 5–10 and exceeded 55% in buffer solutions with pH 6–10. Low levels of osmotic stress reduced germination; only 3–8% of seeds germinated at −0.2 MPa. Maximum seedling emergence occurred when seeds were placed on the soil surface, and emergence decreased with increased burial depths to 5 cm. Overall, seeds exhibited germination characteristics associated with type 2 non-deep physiological dormancy at maturity. Seeds primarily germinated at incubation temperatures of ≥ 25/15°C; however, conditionally dormant seeds became nondormant after prolonged exposure to cold stratification.

Endozoochory, the dispersal of seeds through the animal gut passage, plays a significant role in vegetation dynamics. The success of endozoochorous seed dispersal depends on each stage of the process: ingestion by animals, gut passage, and post-dispersal events after defecation. After the deposition of seeds through feces, the effects of feces on the initial stages of seedling establishment, including seed germination and seedling growth, can significantly impact overall survival. The pattern of fecal effects on plant species depends on the animal species. In this study, we investigated the effects of feces presence on seed germination and early seedling growth using feces of the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). We conducted a germination experiment on 12 plant species belonging to 10 plant families, which are known to germinate in the feces of Korean water deer. The study compared the seed germination rate and seedling length after germination between seeds sown with and without feces of the Korean water deer. In general, we found that the presence of deer feces per se had no significant effects on seed germination and early growth stages. However, additional research on post-dispersal events such as long-term growth, fecal type, and germination conditions is needed to fully understand the costs and benefits of endozoochory.

For many decades, seed germination data have been modelled by probit analysis. In particular, it is the basis of the seed viability equation used, in the first instance, to describe the decline in germination of seeds in storage, but then also the rate of the decline, depending on seed moisture content and the temperature of storage. The underlying assumption of a probit model is that the response follows a normal distribution, in this case, loss of the ability to germinate over time. Probit analysis also takes into account the binomial error associated with germination data. Many statistical packages have probit analysis as an option within the generalized linear modelling framework; here, we present code for applying probit analysis in the free software, R. Codes are provided for fitting a single survival curve, for a single seed lot stored in a constant storage environment; for fitting multiple survival curves and evaluating the effect of constraining parameters for the different seed lots; and lastly, to model the moisture relations of seed longevity. The code bases provided could also be used in pollen and fern/bryophyte spore longevity modelling.

Seed persistence, desiccation tolerance, and dormancy play a crucial role in plant population and community dynamics. However, these life-history traits remain largely understudied in perennial herbaceous species, particularly in tropical ecosystems. We evaluated the seed storage behaviour, potential longevity, soil seed bank, seed dormancy alleviation in the field and the effects of after-ripening temperature and time on seed dormancy alleviation in Carajasia cangae – an endangered perennial forb endemic to the ironstone outcrops of the Eastern Amazon. We performed germination experiments to examine the effect of storage conditions (−20, 5 and 28°C, as well as field storage) and time on seed viability, mean germination time and percentage. Our results suggested that C. cangae seeds form a transient soil seed bank and show orthodox storage behaviour. The seeds' longevity was favoured in all controlled storage conditions in relation to soil-stored seeds (field). However, the marked loss of seed viability in less than 1 year, regardless of storage condition, indicates a low potential for long-term germplasm conservation through seed banking. Seed dormancy was fully alleviated after 3 months of field storage during the dry season. Moreover, seeds stored for 6 months at 28°C had their dormancy partially alleviated, indicating that environmental conditions found throughout the dry season in the species habitat are required to alleviate its seed dormancy. A transient seed bank type is favoured by predictable seasonal variations in climate in the region, species iteroparity and seed dormancy alleviation during the dry season, which delays germination until the onset of the next rainy season.

Seeds are crucial for plant reproduction, dispersal and agriculture. Seed quality and vigour greatly impact crop production by enabling rapid and uniform germination under various environmental conditions. This leads to healthy seedlings that can withstand both biotic and abiotic stresses, which are particularly important in the context of the accentuation of global climate change. Upon imbibition during germination sensu stricto, seeds release exudates, complex mixtures of organic and inorganic molecules, into the microenvironment surrounding them, known as the spermosphere. These exudates play a pivotal role in seedling development and overall plant fitness by influencing microbial selection, growth and interactions in the spermosphere, ultimately shaping the plant's microbiome. Proteins such as enzymes with protection properties have previously been demonstrated to be released by the seeds in their exudates. However, limited information is available pertaining to peptides in seed exudates. Here, we developed an experimental protocol to extract and identify peptides in the spermosphere of germinating common bean seeds. We showed that our methodology was successful in identifying a broad spectrum of peptides and that extraction solvent choice impacts peptide identification both qualitatively and quantitatively. We also show the possibility of using online prediction tools to predict the properties of identified peptides based on their amino acid sequence. We propose that this approach may be used to identify potential molecules that could be used as candidates for developing strategies to enhance seed quality and improve crop productivity.

Seed biopriming with Pseudomonas fluorescens as a beneficial microbial inoculant and seed hydropriming with deionized water were conducted with oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Both techniques involve restricted seed hydration followed by seed drying. Seed biopriming reduced the uniformity (time difference between 10 and 90% germination) of germination ca 4-fold, without changing the maximum germination percentages (Gmax) of seed populations. In contrast to this, seed hydropriming improved the uniformity, but not for aged seed populations. The distinct effect of biopriming on germination was caused by the high salt concentration in the priming medium, not by the bacteria or any of the other components. The effects of biopriming duration, seed input and temperature (incubation and drying) were tested and the number of bacteria attached to the seed coat surface was between 1.6 × 106 and 9.8 × 108 colony-forming units (CFUs) per seed. Long-term storage (21°C, <10% relative humidity, 21% oxygen) of dry bioprimed seeds resulted in a rapid decline of bacterial viability, for example (6 h biopriming, 50 g seed input) from 9.8 × 108 CFU per seed to 7.3 × 104 after 4 weeks and 5.0 × 102 after 12 weeks of air-dry seed storage. Seed biopriming and long-term storage of dry bioprimed seeds did not affect Gmax at optimal (24°C) and cold-stress (16°C) temperatures, and did not appreciably affect early seedling growth. Additive biopriming with kimchi paste did not affect the number of bacteria attached per seed but caused an ~800-fold increase in retaining bacterial viability during long-term seed storage.