Some Aspects of Germination of Triticum aestivum

An examination of the germinating wheat seed has been made withthe light microscope. Although the resting seed possesses onlypro vascular strands, these mature within about 24 h. By thistime the endosperm cheeks have swollen and forced the creaseoutwards, producing a cavity adjacent to the scutellum, exposingthe epithelium to the solution of endosperm hydrolysis products.Application of a direct silver method for staining the golgiapparatus has revealed the presence of particles in the aleurone,endosperm, scutellum, and coleorhiza which appear to move towardsthe developing embryo. It is unlikely that these particles areconcerned with the transport of hydrolysed food reserves butpossible alternative roles are discussed.