Collet

nounStandard termFarming

The exact transition zone between the root and the stem of a seedling.

The botanical boundary line on an embryonic plant where the downward-growing root system meets the upward-growing hypocotyl or stem. In many species, this zone is visually indistinct, but it marks a critical physiological shift in vascular tissue arrangement.

Heard on the job

If you plant the seedlings too deep and bury the collet in heavy wet soil, they'll likely rot.