Osmotic priming in a polyethylene glycol solution (300 g/kg water) for 48 h resulted in a partial loss of desiccation tolerance for seeds of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek (mung bean). The percentage of germination began to decrease after primed seeds were dried down to water contents less than 0.06 g/g DW. As compared with control seeds, primed mung bean seeds also had poorer storage stability. The decline of storage stability after osmotic priming was correlated with the modifications of seed water sorption properties. Priming significantly increased the amount of water associated with the weak water-binding sites, and reduced the amount of water associated with the strong binding sites and multi-molecular binding sites in seed tissues. The enhancement of molecular mobility in seeds, as a result of such water redistribution, probably accelerates seed deterioration and decreases storage stability.
