Abstract:Anthocyanin, mainly existing in glume and episperm of colored rice, is a group of compounds formed from anthocyanidin and glucoside. Because of the structure of flavonoid, anthocyanin has the ability of antioxidation. The paper reported the changes of rice anthocyanin in growing and ageing processes and the function of rice anthocyanin to extend seed longevity in seed storage. The results indicated that rice anthocyanin had been accumulated in the early stage. With the increase of the seed’s size, anthocyanin content gradually decreased in caryopsis; meanwhile, the anthocyanin content did not change significantly in glume. After artificial ageing, the anthocyanin content notably decreased, contrary to the result in glume. It might indicate that the anthocyanin in glume doesn’t get involved in antioxidant response. The analyses of mycotic infection of ageing seeds suggested that, in the three varieties, the anti-mycete ability of the ones with higher content of anthocyanin was better than that with lower content of anthocyanin. Considering the results, anthocyanin was not the crucial factor in seed storage.