This review describes very early biochemical events during imbibition in seeds. It considers the control systems that regulate the production of nucleic acids and proteins when the dry seed first imbibes water. During the ageing of embryos in the dry state, DNA is progressively fragmented with an accumulation of single-stranded breaks. The critical role of DNA repair early in imbibition is considered in the context of genetic integrity of the nuclear template and successful germination.