This study examined seed ultrastructure in relation to germination of North American dandelion seeds. Based on laboratory rearing observations, it was thought that the design of the pappus acts as a conduit facilitating water entry into the seed. It was hypothesized that seeds without a pappus would yield fewer seedlings and require more time to germinate than seeds with an intact pappus. Seed ultrastructure was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, while relative humidity and fungal association were explored as factors that may confer an advantage to intact seeds. Results indicate that germination for seeds lacking a pappus is 31% lower than control seeds (with an intact pappus) and that the seeds lacking a pappus require more time to germinate. Relative humidity did not differentially affect germination, and while a fungus Cladosporium cladosporioides was recovered internally, its presence neither enhanced germination nor decreased time to germination when tested by antimycotic removal. Electron micrographs revealed that (1) the pappus is hollow and (2) the pericarp of the fruit fuses with and partially encloses the pappus. Fusion of the pappus with the fruit suggests that this structure acts as a device to regulate seed hydration.

The impact of rehydration on a multicellular organism was studied in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) embryos, using cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM). Naked embryos were sensitive to imbibitional stress, whereas embryos with an intact, thick-walled endosperm were not. Imbibitional injury to naked embryos was mainly confined to the outer 2–3 cell layers of the axis. These cells failed to swell and appeared poorly hydrated. Deeper layers were not affected even after extended periods of cold rehydration. The proportion of damaged cells (6–7% of total) roughly corresponded with the additional K+ that gradually leached from the embryos. Damaged embryos were able to survive the loss of their surface layers and form adventitious roots. The swelling of inner tissues caused the dead surface layers to rupture into patches. Plasma membranes in dried embryos showed normal bilayer structure with a homogeneous distribution of intra-membrane particles (IMPs), also after non-injurious rehydration. Imbibitionally damaged plasma membranes showed many irregularities, such as globular insertions, that probably resulted from malfusions in the ruptured membrane, but the IMPs were still randomly distributed.

Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and contact mode imaging via atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been utilized to elucidate the ultrastructure of mung bean seed surfaces. The results indicate: 1) that AFM is useful in the examination of seed surface ultrastructure ex-vaccuo without the need for additional complex preparative procedures; and 2) that both the cotyledon and seed coat of different strains of mung beans bear specific ultrastructural details unique to each strain. To our knowledge, these are the first AFM images of seed surfaces.