With regard to germination
of oil palm seeds, Hussey (1958) stated that
‘... rupture of the operculum appears to be dependent
upon intercellular breakdown in the abscission layer
[of the micropylar endosperm] as well as on growth
pressure of the embryo’. Jime´nez et al. (2008) found
that a sharp reduction in concentration of ABA in the
embryo of oil palm was correlated with dormancy
break (heat treatment). However, changes in concentration
of GAs and other plant growth regulators could
not be related to release of dormancy. Much remains to
be learned about germination of palm diaspores, both
at the whole-seed and biochemical–molecular levels.