After a worrisome few weeks of inactivity, the bean has begun to sprout. While still small and dull in color, the shoot has emerged from the soil and should continue to unfurl in the coming days.
The process of germination begins as water is absorbed by the seed and growth enzymes are activated. The radicle and plumule emerge from the softened seed coat as the root and shoot from which the seedling will develop. As the shoot brings the cotyledon (the embryonic leaf) above ground, first leaves appear, eventually allowing the seedling to begin photosynthesizing, no longer reliant on food stored within the seed. In Figure 1, the cotyledon can be seen covering the tiny first leaves of the bean plant.