Which statement best defines Germination?

• A. The development of a plant from a seed or spore after a period of dormancy.
• B. The process of seed production
• C. The growth of a plant from a cutting
• D. The dormancy period in seeds

Answer: (A)

Germination is the resumption of growth from a dormant seed or spore into a young plant when conditions are favorable. It starts as the seed takes up water, reactivates its metabolism, and begins to mobilize stored food, leading to the emergence of the root (radicle) and the start of seedling growth. The statement fits this idea because it describes development from a seed or spore after a period of dormancy, which is exactly what germination involves. The other ideas refer to different processes: producing seeds is reproduction, growing from a cutting is vegetative propagation, and the dormancy period is the resting state before germination, not the growth itself.