Technical Abstract: Technical Seed dormancy has been defined as the temporary failure of a viable seed to germinate, after a specific length of time, in a particular set of environmental conditions that later evoke germination when the restrictive state has been terminated by either natural or artificial conditions. Seed contributes to the survival and persistence and success of domesticated and non-domesticated plants in managed and natural ecosystems. In agriculture and agroecosystems, crop and weed seed dormancy impacts the production of plants for food, fiber, and shelter. This encyclopedia article reviews the importance of seed dormancy in agriculture and outlines the direct and indirect ways dormancy impacts crop production and weed management.