Abstract:Germination is the key development stage for seed plants entering the agricultural ecosystem. For light-requiring seeds, light is one of the most important environmental signals regulating germination. Red light promotes, whereas far-red light inhibits seed germination. Phytochromes are the major photoreceptors that regulate seed germination. Activated phytochromes promote the degradation of Phytochrome-Interacting-Factor 1 (PIF1), the master repressor of germination, to regulate the expression of genes related to gibberellin and abscisic metabolism and signaling pathways, leading to the initiation of seed germination. Furthermore, a series of epigenetic factors dynamically affect the chromatin structure of germination-related genes and regulate their expression to modulate seed germination process. Here, we summarize the progress, especially the transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms in light-regulated seed germination, and discuss their applications in agricultural production in future.
