Critical Radicle Length Window Governing Dehydration Tolerance in Perilla Seeds

Perilla (Perilla frutescens L. Britt.) is an important oilseed and medicinal crop that frequently faces seasonal drought stress during seed germination, leading to a loss of dehydration tolerance (DT), which affects seed emergence and significantly reduces yield. However, the physiological mechanisms and gene networks that regulate Perilla's response to DT remain unclear.