Explain what is meant by the term dormancy in seeds - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 9 - 2016

Digestion contributes to successful seed germination by breaking down stored nutrients into simpler forms. This makes nutrients more soluble and transportable to the embryo, facilitating proper growth and development.

I carried out this investigation using starch agar.

A type of enzyme in the seed that carries out this digestion is amylase.

The seeds were soaked in water to allow the metabolic activity to initiate, activating enzymes needed for germination or to soften the seed coat and break dormancy.

It is recommended that you sterilise the seeds to kill or remove any microorganisms that might affect the investigation.

The split seeds were placed open-side down on the agar to ensure that the enzymes were exposed to the substrate, enabling effective digestion.

I knew that digestive activity had occurred on one of my investigation plates because I observed clear areas around the seeds, indicating that the starch had been broken down.

I knew that digestive activity had not occurred on one of my investigation plates because there were no clear areas around the seeds; the agar remained a positive color for starch.

One reason for my observation could be that the seeds were either dead or the enzyme had been denatured, preventing any digestion.