Dear Colleagues,

Seed formation is one of the most important biological innovations in plants and has strongly contributed to the evolutionary success and worldwide supremacy of flowering plants. Via regulatory mechanisms such as dormancy and longevity, seeds control the season-dependent growth of plants, thereby fueling adaptation to (agro)ecological niches and climatic changes. Also, plant seeds carry de novo formed embryos generated via sexual reproduction and thus physically represent the ‘germ’ for novel genetic variability upon which natural or artifical selection can act.

Seeds play a central role in agriculture and breeding. During historical crop domestication, several flowering plants were selected and genetically improved for seed yield, quality, and composition, and this has resulted in a broad range of feed, fodder, and fuel crops, including wheat, rice, brassica, and maize. With the endosperm forming a specialized tissue that nurtures the developing embryo, seeds constitute a rich source of starch, oil, vitamins, and trace elements, which are used in both human and animal diets. Moreover, because of their specific developmental features and overal longevity, plant seeds also form an interesting platform for the synthetic production of valuable biochemicals or compounds (i.e., seeds as biotech factories).

In this Special Issue of Agronomy, we will focus on different aspects of seed biology, seed formation, and seed-related processes in flowering crops. Besides novel insights into the (epi)genetic, molecular, and physiological control of different aspects of seed development (i.e., embryogenesis, endosperm development, dormancy, and germination), this issue will also focus on agronomic practices and (bio)technological innovations that improve seed yield, nutritional composition, or value for crop breeding (i.e., apomixis, haploid induction, etc.). We welcome both fundamental and applied research articles, reviews, communications, and short notes and strongly support the submission of novel methodologies, technological innovations, and mechanistic insights.

Prof. Dr. Nico De Storme
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Seed formation
• Embryogenesis
• Endosperm development
• Seed dormancy
• Germination
• Fruit crops
• Cereals