In a corn or wheat kernel, the stored food energy used for germination is found in the:

The stored food energy used for germination in a corn or wheat kernel is found in the endosperm. The endosperm is a tissue that provides essential nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, and some fats, which serve as the primary source of energy for the developing embryo during germination.

As the seed begins to sprout, the enzymes are activated to break down the starches stored in the endosperm, converting them into simple sugars that the embryo can utilize for energy. This process is crucial because the young plant relies on these stored nutrients until it can develop sufficient leaves to begin photosynthesis and produce its own energy.

While other parts of the seed have distinct functions—such as the cotyledon, which may serve as the first leaves in some plants, the coleoptile, which protects the emerging shoot, and the mesocotyl, which connects the seed to the surface and can aid in early growth—they do not primarily store the energy needed for germination. Instead, they facilitate various aspects of seedling development and emergence.