The control mechanism of stored foods degradation (luring seed germination was studied. When one excised cotyledon was incubated with three embryonic axes, it was found that the embryonic axis may stimulate the proteinase activity, RNA synthesis and reserve protein breakdown in the excised cotyledons. Cytokinins may replace the embryonic axis function and stimulate the proteinase activity and RNA synthesis in Ihc oxcised cotylcdous.