A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant. The formation of the seed completes the process of reproduction in seed plants, with the embryo developed from the zygote and the seed coat from the integuments of the ovule. All seeds are different size, shape and colour. Stratification is the process of subjecting seeds to both cold and moist conditions. Factors affecting seed dormancy include the presence of certain plant hormones, notably abscisic acid, which inhibits germination, and gibberellin, which ends seed dormancy. In brewing, barley seeds are treated with gibberellin to ensure uniform seed germination for the production of barley malt. This book is the outcome of sincere efforts taken for compilation of information regarding seed production technologies from various sources. The book covers a wide range of subjects with lot of references and also includes description about the seed production technologies of important spices, plantation, medicinal and aromatic plants. Thus this book will provide an understanding of all the aspects of seed production and help the students at UG and PG Level researchers, scientists, entrepreneurs to enrich their knowledge in the field of spices, plantation, medicinal and aromatic plants.
