After-ripening is the time required for seeds in storage to lose dormancy. It is the general type of primary dormancy that exists in many, if not most, freshly harvested seeds of herbaceous plants.
This type of dormancy is transient and disappears during dry storage. Cucumber is a good example of a crop that requires after-ripening.
Its dormancy lasts for about 30 days, but compare this to its wild relative that can take over 100 days in dry storage to relieve dormancy.
Cucumber seeds require after-ripening.
