Manufactured seed with enhanced pre-emergence survivability

A manufactured seed coat adapted to enclose a totipotent plant tissue comprising a shoot and a radicle, the manufactured seed coat comprising:

• a first seed-coat portion that is impenetrable by the enclosed totipotent plant tissue upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue except for an orifice defined by the first seed-coat portion,
• a second seed-coat portion comprising an end seal that seals the orifice, is penetrable or dislodgable by the radicle upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue, and is gas permeable;
• and
• a restraint, disposed within the first seed-coat portion, adapted to (i) enclose at least the shoot of the totipotent plant tissue, (ii) resist penetration by the shoot upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue, (iii) permit gas and liquid transfer to the totipotent plant tissue, and (iv) be shed distally off the shoot upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue,
• thereby making the manufactured seed coat water-impermeable until the radicle penetrates or dislodges the end seal.

A method of making a manufactured seed coat adapted to enclose a totipotent plant tissue sufficiently developed to comprise a shoot and a radicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a first seed-coat portion that is impenetrable by the totipotent plant tissue except for an orifice defined by the first seed-coat portion;
• sealing the orifice with an end seal that is penetrable or dislodgable by the radicle upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue and gas permeable;
• and
• disposing within the first seed-coat portion a restraint adapted to (i) enclose at least the shoot of the totipotent plant tissue, (ii) resist penetration by the shoot upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue, (iii) permit gas and liquid transfer to the totipotent plant tissue, and (iv) be shed distally off the shoot upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue,
• thereby making the manufactured seed coat water-impermeable until the radicle penetrates or dislodges the end seal.

A method of producing a manufactured seed comprising:

• providing a totipotent plant tissue sufficiently developed to comprise a shoot and a radicle;
• providing a manufactured seed coat comprising a first seed-coat portion that is impenetrable by the totipotent plant tissue upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue except for an orifice defined by the first seed-coat portion;
• disposing the totipotent plant tissue within the first seed-coat portion;
• and
• sealing the orifice with an end seal that is penetrable or dislodgable by the radicle upon germination of the totipotent plant tissue, thereby enclosing the totipotent plant tissue and making the manufactured seed coat water-impermeable until the radicle penetrates or dislodges the end seal.