**5. Conclusion**

In this chapter, the definition, significance, classification, key control mechanisms and methods of breaking dormancy have been reviewed. Dormancy is an important survival mechanism that favors propagation and dissemination of a species but it has very strong negative consequences in crop production as it imposes heterogeneous and asynchronous seed germination. Many classification keys of dormancy exist, mainly because the process is generally controlled by more than one seed-dependent factor. For this reason induction and release of dormancy, remain a complex process in the life of plants. At the molecular level, induction and release of dormancy are regulated by a multifaceted network of transcriptional, translational, and epigenetic processes under an integrated control of environmental and hormonal signals. Though the process still needs elucidation, identification of the causes of dormancy is species-specific. In perspective, focus should be on diagnosing the dormancy types in each species with the objective to design a species specific protocol to suppress dormancy and improve on rapid and homogenous seed germination.

*Seed Dormancy: Induction, Maintenance and Seed Technology Approaches to Break Dormancy DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.106153*
