The distribution of starch granules in ungerminated seeds of Zostera marina was examined by electron microscopy and histochemistry. Quantitative changes during germination in starch and sugars [glucose/maltosaccharides (MS), sucrose, and fructose] were examined in the seeds using biochemical methods. At natural seawater salinity (30.2 psu), the number of starch granules and the amount of starch markedly decreased, resulting in no increase in the sugar content in the embryos during the early germination stage. A substantial increase in sugars in the shoots occurred after the development of true leaves, probably due to photosynthetic activity in the green true leaves. At natural seawater salinity, the amount of starch did not significantly change during the initial 14 days of germination. In contrast, at lower salinities, starch levels decreased significantly from day 0 to day 6, resulting in higher levels of glucose/MS and fructose in the basal hypocotyls. These results suggest that compared with the salinity of natural seawater, lower salinity may interfere with starch catabolism in seeds, thereby causing the seed coat to break open earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]