While differences between desiccation-tolerant and desiccation-sensitive seeds have been highlighted, there are certain commonalities.
It is now generally agreed that free radical mechanisms are important in the loss of viability of stored orthodox seeds.
It is likely that most of the damage occurs on imbibition, when the presence of water permits the aqueous-based deleterious, reactions to occur.
In wet-stored recalcitrant propagules,damage occurs because of water stress imposed by the withholding of necessary water.
As in the case of water-stess-induced damage caused by drying of hydrated systems, many of the deteriorative processes my be free-radicle mediated.
Thus it is possible that the underlying biochemical proesses leading to viability loss are similar in desiccation-tolerant
and desiccation-sensitive seeds.
the difference between the two seed types lies in the rate at which these events proceed.
the anhydrous nature of stored orthodox seeds limits the rate of damage accumulation; wet-stored recalcitrant seeds, although water stressed, are sufficiently hydrated to permit the rapid accumulation of damage.