Hiro Nonogaki

Associate Professor, Seed Biology
hiro.nonogaki [at] oregonstate.edu

Office: 541-737-8885

The current research in the Integrative Seed Biology Program at Oregon State University focuses on the fundamental question: how do plant seeds germinate? We try to elucidate the mechanism of seed germination using biochemical and molecular biological approaches.

Arabidopsis Seed Research

Seed germination is completed by the emergence of the embryo from the seed coat. Plants have evolved a number of strategies to regulate germination. Seeds of many species go through dormancy, a period during which germination is suppressed under conditions that are normally favorable for germination. Dormancy allows seeds to germinate in appropriate seasons or at locations suitable for seedling growth and further development. We investigate the mechanisms of seed dormancy and germination using the model plant Arabidopsis (Read more...).

Tomato Seed Germination

Tomato seed has also become a model system of seed germination research. Tomato seed provides an excellent system for seed germination research, because it has the embryo and the endosperm, which is essential for analyzing physical and chemical interactions between these two tissues. Its size is relatively larger than seeds in other plant species, such as tobacco and Arabidopsis seeds, making it feasible to dissect into different seed parts, and small enough for population analyses such as germination tests and biochemical assays (Read more...).

Carrot Seed Development

Carrot (Daucus carota L.) develops 'umbels', groups of flowers which produce seeds. Carrot seeds are not true seeds in a botanical sense but are dry fruits called 'schizocarps' . Carrot seeds do not mature uniformly within a single plant. Seed maturation depends on the positions of flowers on the maternal plant, from which seeds are originated. Flowers and seeds in different orders  (primary, secondary and tertiary) of umbels exhibit various levels of maturity (Read more...).

Profile Field Tabs

At OSU
Affiliated with: 
Horticulture
Career Links: 
Department of Horticulture
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Do you accept grad students?: 
I accept graduate students for Horticulture
Courses Taught: 
  • Seed Biology (HORT463/563)
  • World Food Crops (CSS330)
My Publications
Proceedings and Conference Presentations: 

Invited Lectures and Seminars

Nonogaki H. 2012. Seed Production Physiology/Global Seed Research Update. Japanese Seed Trade Association (Tokyo, Japan)
Nonogaki H. 2012. Seed Production and Germination. Sakata Seed Corp. (Yokohama, Japan)
Nonogaki H. 2011. Hormone metabolism during seed development and germination. INRA (Versailles, France)
Martinez-Andujar C, Ordiz IM, Huang Z, Nonogaki M, Beachy RN, Nonogaki H. 2011. Change in 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE alters seed dormancy and germination. 10th International Society for Seed Science Conference (Salvador, Brazil)
Martinez-Andujar C, Pluskota WE, Bassel GW, Asahina M, Pupel P, Nguyen TT, Goloviznina NA, Gorecki R, Takeda-Kamiya N, Yamaguchi S, Kamiya Y, Nonogaki H. 2011. The mechanisms of endosperm cap-specific gene expression in tomaot seeds. 10th International Society for Seed Science Conference (Salvador, Brazil)
Nonogaki H. 2011. microRNA gene regulation cascades in the biology of seeds, Keynote Lecture, Israeli Society of Plant Sciences Conferenc (Sede Boqer, Israel)
Nonogaki H. 2010. Closing the loop: Integrating seed quality into breeding programs, Asian and Pacific Seed Association Workshop (Kaohsiung, Taiwan)
Nonogaki H. 2010. Plant domestication and breeding - Seed biology aspects, Korean Breeding Society Annual Meeting (Daejeon, Korea)
Nonogaki H. 2010. OSU Integrative Seed Biology - Research overview, Kongju National University (Chung-Nam, Korea)
Nonogaki H. 2010. Embryogenesis, endosperm development and testa properties. Department of Genetics and Biotechnology Research Centre, Aarhus University (Flakkebjerg, Denmark)
Nonogaki H. 2010. EU-funded Seed Biology Lecure Series. University of Warmia and Mazury (Olsztyn, Poland)
Nonogaki H. 2010. Molecular mechanisms of seed germination. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University (College Station, TX)
Nonogaki H. 2010. Seed germination and stand establishment of tomato and Arabidopsis. Monsanto Company (Creve Coeur, MO)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Hormonal regulation of seed germination. Volcani Center, The Agricultural Research Organization (Beit Dagan, Israel)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Seed germination - Control through gene expression, mRNA stability and protein turnover. Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, French Associates Institute for Agriculture & Biotechnology of Drylands, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion (Sede Boqer, Israel)
Nonogaki H. Bassel GW, Kumar MBA, Martin RC, Martinez-Andujar C, Pluskota WE. 2009. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional gene regulation during seed germination and stand establishment. 5th ISHS Symposium on Seed, Transplant and Stand Establishment of Horticultural Crops (Murcia, Spain)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Seed germination and technology. Nunhems Seeds (Roermond, The Netherlands)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Seed biology update - microRNA through Darwin. University of Warmia and Mazury, (Olsztyn, Poland)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Seeds, microRNA and Darwin? Wageningen University (Wageningen, The Netherlands)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Molecular mechanisms of seed germination and seedling establishment. American Seed Research Foundation/American Seed Trade Association meeting (Scottsdale, AZ)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Recent progress in seed germination research. Valent Biosciences (Long Grove, IL)
Nonogaki H. 2009. Seed biology, production and quality. Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California (Davis, CA)
Nonogaki H. 2008. Regulation of gene expression by microRNA during germination and postgermination. University of Salamanca (Salamanca, Spain)
Nonogaki H. 2008. microRNA function during seed germination and seedling development. INRA (Versailles, France)
Nonogaki H. 2008. Multiple layers of molecular repression in seeds. Syngenta Seed Care (Basel, Switzerland)
Pluskota WE, Asahina M, Chan T, Sun J, Dahal P, Van Deynze A, Bradford K, Takeda N, Yamaguchi S, Kamiya Y, Nonogaki H. 2008. Tissue-specific transcription factors in germinating tomato seeds. 9th International Society for Seed Science (ISSS) Conference on Seed Biology (Olstzyn, Poland)
Nonogaki H, Pluskota WE. 2008. Tissue printing for RNA and protein localization in seeds. 9th International Society for Seed Science (ISSS) Conference on Seed Biology (Olstzyn, Poland)
Nonogaki H, Martin RC, Asahina M, Pluskota W, Liu P-P, Kristof JR, Coppersmith JL, Pupel P. 2008. miRNA function in seed germination and postgermination stages. 9th International Society for Seed Science (ISSS) Conference on Seed Biology (Olstzyn, Poland)
Nonogaki H. 2008 The regulation of gene expression by microRNA during seed germination and stand establishment. CEBAS-CSIC, Departamento de Nutricion Vegetal, Campus Universitario de Espinardo (Murcia, Spain)
Nonogaki H. 2008. Repression of transcription factors by microRNA during seed germination and stand establishment - Another level of molecular repression in seeds? Monsanto Company (Chesterfield, MO)
Nonogaki H. 2008. Hormonal regulation of seed germination - Repression and de-repression of developmental programs. Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (St. Louis, MO)
Nonogaki H. 2008. Seed germination and stand establishment. Columbia Basin Vegetable Seed Growers' Association/Washington State University (Moses Lake, WA)
Nonogaki H. 2007. The molecular mechanisms of seed germination - Repression and de-repression. De Ruiter Seeds (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Molecular repression in seed germination. CEBAS-CSIC, Departamento de Nutricion Vegetal, Campus Universitario de Espinardo (Murcia, Spain)
Nonogaki H, Liu P-P, Pupel P, Asahina M, Montgomery TA, Fahlgren N, Kasschau KD, Carrington JC, Martin RC. 2007. De-repression during seed germination. 2nd International Society for Seed Science (ISSS) Workshop on Molecular Aspects of Seed Dormancy and Germination (Salamanca, Spain)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Seed germination research update: It's all about repression? Plant Science Center, RIKEN, (Yokohama, Japan)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Seed biology, production and quality. Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California (Davis, CA)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Plant genome project in relationship to seed germination and plant hormones, 19th Annual Western Plant Growth Regulator Conference (San Diego, CA)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Seed germination and viability. Columbia Basin Vegetable Seed Growers' Association /Washington State University (Moses Lake, WA)
Nonogaki H. 2007. Plant genome project in relationship to seed germination and plant hormones, 19th Annual Western Plant Growth Regulator Conference (San Diego, CA)

2010

Book

S. Wada, Nonogaki, H., Reed, B. M., and , Identifying blackberry cultivars by seed structure. Oregon State University, Extension Service, 2010.

Book Chapter

F. Chen, R.C., M., SQ, S., and Nonogaki, H., “Seed development and germination”, in Plant Tissue Culture: Development and Biotechnology, T. R.N. and D.J., G., Eds. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2010, pp. 125-138.

2008

Journal Article

H. Nonogaki, “Repression of transcription factors by microRNA during seed germination and postgerminaiton: Another level of molecular repression in seeds? ”, Plant Signaling and Behavior, vol. 3, pp. 65-67, 2008.