20346 Seeds: Dormancy and Germination

Credits: 3 advanced seminar credits in Life Sciences

Prerequisites: 36 credits in the Sciences, including General Biology I, General Biology II.1 Students must also fulfill all English requirements and take bibliographic instruction in the Library.

Required: Cell Structure and Function (single-semester format or year-long format)

Recommended: Plants and Vegetation, Plant Physiology, Biochemistry I, Biochemistry II

The course is based on chapters from Seeds: Physiology of Development and Germination (2nd ed.), by J.D. Bewley and M. Black (Plenum Press, 1994).

Seeds are the reproductive units of higher plants and frequently also play a part in their dispersion. All seeds exist in a state of dormancy or rest for a certain period which culminates in the germination process. During germination and sprouting, the reserves stored in the seed are decomposed and utilized. The course expands on these areas from various aspects: agricultural, ecological, biochemical and molecular.

After studying the material, students prepare a seminar paper on a topic of their choice with the assistance and guidance of the tutor.

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1or three courses: Plants and Vegetation (20112), Cell Structure and Function (20452 – single-semester format or 20214 – year-long format), and Genetics (20275).