Stratification is best defined as

Stratification is best defined as

• A. The exposure of seeds to specific temperature conditions to break dormancy
• B. The exposure to light to trigger germination
• C. Freezing seeds to kill weak ones
• D. Soaking seeds in sugar solution

Answer: (A)

Stratification is the practice of exposing seeds to cold, moist conditions to break seed dormancy and trigger germination, mimicking winter in the seed’s natural cycle. This temperature cue tells the seed that spring is on the way, allowing those with physiological dormancy to overcome it and germinate when conditions are favorable. In greenhouse work, many temperate species require this cold period, such as apples, cherries, and various perennials. A typical approach is to keep the seeds in a damp medium at about 1–5°C for several weeks to a few months, ensuring moisture remains without allowing mold. This contrasts with relying on light to induce germination, which affects different seeds; freezing to kill weak seeds isn’t a dormancy-breaking method, and soaking in a sugar solution is a priming step used to speed germination, not stratification.

Stratification is the practice of exposing seeds to cold, moist conditions to break seed dormancy and trigger germination, mimicking winter in the seed’s natural cycle. This temperature cue tells the seed that spring is on the way, allowing those with physiological dormancy to overcome it and germinate when conditions are favorable. In greenhouse work, many temperate species require this cold period, such as apples, cherries, and various perennials. A typical approach is to keep the seeds in a damp medium at about 1–5°C for several weeks to a few months, ensuring moisture remains without allowing mold. This contrasts with relying on light to induce germination, which affects different seeds; freezing to kill weak seeds isn’t a dormancy-breaking method, and soaking in a sugar solution is a priming step used to speed germination, not stratification.