Page 90 - The Miracle In The Seed

THE MIRACLE IN THE SEED

withstand such unexpected conditions by going into a form of dor-
mancy.

Dormant Phase in Seeds
As mentioned above, the seeds of some plants have the little-
known characteristic of being able to withstand very harsh conditions.
These seeds become more resilient to periods of adverse environmen-
tal conditions by deliberately slowing down their metabolic functions
and going into a kind of deep sleep.
The first stage of dormancy starts with a drying phase: The seed
loses fluid from its tissue. The living tissues of a plant consist of 90 to
95% water, but the water content of dormant seeds ranges from 5% to a
maximum of 15%. This drying-out process takes place in a defined se-
quence under genetic control. The principal agent in this process is ab-
scisic acid, one of the hormones that stem the growth of the plant and
43
whose presence also slows the inner functions of the seed. Respiration
is reduced in the cells of a dormant seed, and it can neither feed nor
grow. 44
Some seeds can stay dormant for decades or even hundreds of
years before germinating – to ensure the survival of the species under
severe conditions. 45
How has such an important feature appeared? When conditions
become adverse, how can seeds beneath the soil be aware of this and
take the necessary precautions? A seed has neither eyes, nor a clock,
nor a nervous system. So how does it calculate that it is time to go dor-
mant?
Evolutionists try to explain that some plants have ensured their
survival this way with claims like, “Plants have developed mecha-
nisms to guarantee their survival under difficult conditions.”
But this sentence expresses nothing meaningful, because of
course it is not feasible for a tree to feel such a need of its own accord
and to think up a system whereby its seeds can go dormant, set up this