Free Botany Simulation

Explore the Seed Germination Simulator

Set temperature, moisture, oxygen, light and planting depth, then watch a seed move through imbibition, radicle, root, shoot and first leaves.

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Free to use
No signup
Nothing to install
Runs in your browser

Free to use

No signup

Seed Germination Simulator

Setting

Open the Seed Germination Simulator

Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.

See it in action

The Seed Germination Simulator with sample data entered and the result showing.

Screenshot of the Seed Germination Simulator with sample data entered: The Seed Germination Simulator with sample data entered and the result showing. — Sample data entered into the Seed Germination Simulator. Open the tool to try your own.

Explained

What is the Seed Germination Simulator?

Set temperature, moisture, oxygen, light and planting depth, then watch a seed move through imbibition, radicle, root, shoot and first leaves. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.

Farmers choose planting dates and depths, and seed companies print germination-rate guarantees on packets, based on exactly this kind of temperature and moisture testing.

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Key idea 1Key idea 2Key idea 3

3 steps to your result

Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.

In the Seed Germination Simulator, use the controls to change Soil temperature, Soil moisture, Soil oxygen, Light at surface, Planting depth, and more. The simulation reacts instantly.

Start with this experiment: Run 50 trials at a cold temperature and see how few germinate. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Seed Germination Simulator responds in real time.

Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Germination temperature follows a cardinal temperature model: too cold or too hot and nothing germinates, with a peak at the optimum temperature.

What you get

Key idea 1

Germination temperature follows a cardinal temperature model: too cold or too hot and nothing germinates, with a peak at the optimum temperature.

Key idea 2

Seeds need enough moisture to imbibe water and swell, but waterlogged soil cuts off the oxygen they need to respire.

Key idea 3

Some species need light to germinate, others are inhibited by it, and most cannot push a shoot up from too deep in the soil.

Experiment 1

Run 50 trials at a cold temperature and see how few germinate.

Experiment 2

Sweep germination percent versus temperature and find the peak.

Experiment 3

Bury the seed at 8 cm and watch the shoot struggle to reach the surface.

Used for

Pick one to see how it fits.

Use case

Botany learners

Students, teachers and curious learners of all ages.

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How it compares

A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.

	This simulation	Textbook diagram
Interactive	Drag, tap and change settings	Fixed picture
Install	Nothing to install	Not needed
Cost	Free to use	Depends on the book

Questions people ask

Why is there an optimum temperature for germination rather than 'hotter is always better'?

Germination depends on enzyme activity, which rises with temperature only up to a point before high heat starts to damage the seed's proteins, so the rate falls again past the optimum.

Why does running only a few trials give a different percentage than the theoretical prediction?

Each seed's fate is a random event, so a small sample is affected by chance (sampling noise); running hundreds or thousands of trials brings the result much closer to the true theoretical percentage.

Is the Seed Germination Simulator free to use?

Yes. The Seed Germination Simulator is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Botany group of AZRS simulations.

Does the Seed Germination Simulator work on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The Seed Germination Simulator takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 6 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.

How do I use the Seed Germination Simulator?

1. In the Seed Germination Simulator, use the controls to change Soil temperature, Soil moisture, Soil oxygen, Light at surface, Planting depth, and more. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Seed Germination Simulator, press "Plant new seed" to start, reset or change what is happening. 3. Start with this experiment: Run 50 trials at a cold temperature and see how few germinate. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Seed Germination Simulator responds in real time. 4. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Germination temperature follows a cardinal temperature model: too cold or too hot and nothing germinates, with a peak at the optimum temperature.