vernalization

V4E1R1N1A1L1I1Z10A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The treatment of seeds or bulbs by exposure to low temperatures so as to decrease the vegetative period or to cause the plant to flower or bear fruit more quickly.

RareScrabble 25

Meanings

nounvernalization (usually uncountable, plural vernalizations)

plural vernalizations · alternative vernalisation

  1. uncountableusuallyThe treatment of seeds or bulbs by exposure to low temperatures so as to decrease the vegetative period or to cause the plant to flower or bear fruit more quickly.

    Species needing vernalization do not flower when grown in a warm climate.

    2005, Helgi Öpik, Stephen A. Rolfe, Arthur John Willis, The Physiology Of Flowering Plants, page 275
    3 more examples

    This low temperature requirement for flowering, called vernalization, begins at germination. Vernalization is assumed to occur at temperatures between 0 and 18°C (Ahrens and Loomis, 1963; Tirone and Metzer, 1970).

    1998, J. T. Ritchie, U. Singh, D. C. Godwin, W. T. Bowen, Cereal growth, development and yield, Gordon Yukio Tsuji, Gerrit Hoogenboom, Philip Thornton (editors), Understanding Options for Agricultural Production, Volume 7, page 88

    For some plants, however, exposure to low temperatures during winter is an essential step in their development. Two of these processes, vernalisation and the breaking of winter dormancy, have important implications for gardeners.

    2008, David S. Ingram, Daphne Vince-Prue, Peter J. Gregory, editors, Science and the Garden: The Scientific Basis of Horticultural Practice, page 201

    Furthermore, vernalization has been shown to override the late-flowering phenotype. […] Both VRN1 and VRN2 genes have been identified to be associated with vernalization.

    2010, H. Yamashita, Y. Komeda (chapter authors), Eng Chong Pua, Michael R. Davey (editors), Plant Developmental Biology - Biotechnological Perspectives, Volume 1, page 202

    Synonyms: jarovization · Antonyms: devernalization

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe treatment of seeds or bulbs by exposure to low temperatures so as to decrease the vegetative period or to cause the plant to flower or bear fruit more quickly.

Also see

Origin

Translations

Bulgarian яровиза́ция
  • яровиза́ция (jarovizácija)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Catalan vernalització
  • vernalitzaciócertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Chinese Mandarin 春化, 春化作用
  • 春化 (chūnhuà)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • 春化作用 (chūnhuà zuòyòng)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Finnish vernalisaatio, keväistys
  • vernalisaatiocertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • keväistyscertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • idunvirityscertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
French vernalisation
  • vernalisationcertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
German Vernalisation, Vernalisierung
  • Vernalisationcertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • Vernalisierungcertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • Jarowisationcertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • Jarowisierungcertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Greek εαρινοποίηση
  • εαρινοποίηση (earinopoíisi)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Italian jarovizzazione, iarovizzazione
  • jarovizzazionecertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • iarovizzazionecertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Japanese 春化処理
  • 春化処理certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Korean 춘화 처리
  • 춘화 처리 (chunhwa cheori)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Portuguese vernalização
  • vernalizaçãocertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Russian яровизация
  • яровизация (jarovizacija)certain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Vietnamese xuân hoá, sự xuân hoá
  • xuân hoácertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
  • sự xuân hoácertain treatment of seeds or bulbs
Cite this entry
APA

vernalization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernalization

MLA

“vernalization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernalization. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vernalization,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernalization.

Source: vernalization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.