Seed Germination Process Chart

Quick Answer: The Seed Germination Process Chart is a biology wall chart that shows, stage by stage, how a seed becomes a seedling: water uptake, the radicle breaking through the seed coat, the shoot emerging and the first leaves opening. It is a seed germination chart for school science lessons on plant growth and for use alongside germination experiments.

From Dry Seed to Seedling, Step by Step

Germination charts are sequence charts. Rather than one large labelled diagram, they usually show a row of stages so students can see order and change: a dry seed, the same seed swollen after imbibition, the radicle splitting the testa, root hairs and lateral roots appearing, then the shoot pushing upward and the seedling beginning to photosynthesise. Bean, pea, gram or maize are the usual examples.

The biology behind each step is what makes the chart teachable. Water entering the seed reactivates enzymes such as amylase, which break stored starch into sugars that fuel growth before the seedling has leaves. The radicle comes out first, anchoring the seed and starting to absorb water. In beans, the hypocotyl then forms a hook that pulls the cotyledons up out of the soil, while in maize a protective sheath, the coleoptile, covers the young shoot on its way up.

Some editions put two sequences side by side, one for a dicot and one for a monocot seed, or add a panel on the conditions germination needs. Because the panels vary, compare the sequence with the stages your syllabus names before choosing between versions.

Applications

• Introducing plant growth before students set up their own seeds on damp cotton wool or blotting paper
• Sequencing activities in which students put photographs of their own seedlings in the chart’s order
• Keeping a day-by-day germination diary and matching each entry to a stage on the chart
• Revising the roles of the radicle, plumule and cotyledons before assessments

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Hang the germination chart near the window-sill where seed trays are kept, but out of direct sun, so students can compare trays and diagrams during the experiment.
• Keep the lower part of the chart clear of watering cans and damp trays.
• When the topic ends, roll it loosely and store it in a dry cupboard.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary and middle-school science teachers are the main buyers, often ordering it together with the Seeds Charts, which show seed structure in more detail. It sits in LabEquip’s Educational Charts range, and school orders for several titles can be arranged through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the radicle come out before the shoot?

The seedling needs anchorage and water before anything else. The radicle grows down into the soil, fixes the seed in place and starts absorbing the water the shoot will need. Emerging first also lets the root respond to gravity and grow downward whichever way the seed was lying.

Why does a seed swell before it sprouts?

A dry seed takes in water through its seed coat and micropyle in a process called imbibition. The stored proteins and starch absorb water and expand, so the seed swells and its coat softens. This water also switches on the enzymes that break down stored food.

What is the hook on a bean seedling?

It is a bend in the hypocotyl, the stem just below the cotyledons. The hook pushes up through the soil first, so the delicate plumule and cotyledons are pulled up behind it rather than scraped through the soil. Once in the light, the hook straightens.

What is the coleoptile in maize germination?

The coleoptile is a sheath that covers the young shoot of grasses such as maize. It pushes through the soil like a protective spear, and the first true leaf breaks out of its tip once it reaches light. A similar sheath, the coleorhiza, covers the emerging root.

Where does a seedling get its energy before it has leaves?

From food stored in the seed. In bean and gram it is held in the fleshy cotyledons, while in maize it is in the endosperm. Enzymes convert starch, protein and fat into forms the growing embryo can use until its leaves take over by photosynthesis.

Why do some seeds fail to germinate even in good conditions?

They may be dormant, dead or damaged. Dormancy can be caused by a hard seed coat that keeps water out or by chemical inhibitors inside the seed, and some seeds need chilling or scratching of the coat before they sprout. Old or badly stored seeds may simply have lost viability.

Last Updated: September 2026