Expression analysis of miR172b under ABA (5 µM) (A), NaCl (100 mM) (B) and mannitol (300 mM) (C) treatment in the first four days after stratification treatment in the first four days after stratification. (D) miR172b expression in wild-type (Col-0) and abi5-8 treated without or with 0.4 µM ABA. Expression analysis of ABI3 (E), ABI5 (F), RAB18 (G), Em1 (H), Em6 (I) and MFT (J) in germinating seeds of the wild type and 35S:miR172b in the third day after stratification with or without 0.4 µM ABA. The expression level was normalized against the reference gene GAPC, and all the experiments were performed three times with three replicates. Error bars denote±SD. Student's t test was performed, and the statistically significant treatments are marked with asterisks. (*) P<0.05, (**) P<0.01 and (***) P<0.001.