A decline in protein synthesis and slow germination accompanies loss of viability in embryos of rye (Secale cereale L.) grains. Associated with this, incorporation of precursors into all the major classes of RNA is decreased and the processing of precursor rRNA to 25S and 18S RNA is retarded. Embryos that just reach 0% viability still synthesize some low-molecular-weight non-nucleolar material, although they do not synthesize protein. It is suggested that early-synthesized RNA could play a major part in determining the extent of protein synthesis at early germination, and thereby regulate the rate at which germination can proceed.
