Understanding plant dormancy is of great consequence to the sustainable and efficient procurement of food and fiber for nutritional and economic benefits. The term plant dormancy embraces the processes that bring about a programmed inability within a plant to grow and develop in spite of suitable environmental conditions. Dormancy plays a crucial part at a variety of significant stages in the life cycle of many plants. Seeds, buds and tubers are all included in this book and the relationships between dormancy, development and the environment are explored.<br> <br> Papers have been contributed from leading workers in the field and have been developed from the <em>First International Symposium on Plant Dormancy</em> held in Oregon. The book brings together work that considers the genetic regulation of plant dormancy and its physiological and biochemical manifestations. Molecular techniques to help in the elucidation of processes and paradigms are discussed, and there are also examples of the use of modelling in the study of dormancy. Overall, the book presents a valuable review of plant dormancy for crop scientists, plant physiologists, plant molecular biologists, horticulturists and all those involved in investigating and managing plant dormancy.