Heat treatment of oil palm seeds before sowing helps to

Heat treatment of oil palm seeds before sowing is known to break the embryo dormancy. Dormancy is a period of inhibited growth that helps the seed to survive adverse environmental conditions. However, it can also prevent the seed from germinating even under favorable conditions. Applying heat to the seed allows it to overcome this dormancy and initiate growth. Breaking the dormancy allows the embryo to start using the stored nutrients in the seed, mobilizing them for growth. This helps in the early establishment of the seedling and improves its chances of survival. Heat treatment can also help to improve disease resistance by killing or removing pathogens that may be present on the seed surface or inside the seed. However, heat treatment does not harden the mesocarp, which is the fleshy outer layer of the fruit surrounding the seed. The mesocarp does not play a significant role in seed germination or early seedling growth.