Which hormone aids in breaking seed dormancy besides encouraging flowering?

Gibberellins are plant hormones that play a crucial role in promoting growth and development, particularly in breaking seed dormancy and encouraging flowering. They stimulate key processes that lead to seed germination. Gibberellins promote the synthesis of enzymes like amylase, which help in the conversion of starches stored in the seed into sugars that provide energy for the embryo during germination. Additionally, they contribute to the elongation of stems, allowing the plant to reach towards sunlight, which also enhances flowering.

In the context of breaking seed dormancy, gibberellins are particularly important because they can help overcome the physiological barriers that seeds have developed to remain dormant until conditions are favorable for germination. Thus, in addition to encouraging flowering, gibberellins are essential for initiating the germination process by breaking dormancy.

Other hormones listed have different roles. Ethylene is primarily involved in fruit ripening and the response to stress rather than directly influencing seed germination or dormancy. Abscisic Acid is often associated with promoting dormancy and inhibiting germination, acting as a counterbalance to gibberellins. Cytokinins mainly function to promote cell division and shoot development but do not play a significant role in breaking dormancy