Abstract: Deterioration and viability loss of rice grains during storage could greatly affect the national food security and rice breeding. Thus, prolonging the shelf life of rice is of significant interest for the farmers and the researchers. This article reviews the relationship between the seed vigor and shelf life, as well as the current progress in the field of study from three aspects,i.e., the lipid metabolism and oxidation, oxidative stress and antioxidant system, and the plant repair mechanisms. The defi ciencies in the existing studies are discussed. The protective and repair mechanisms of the plants are specifically elaborated as they were considered critical in better understanding the seed deterioration and in providing guidelines for the breeding of rice varieties with desirable shelf life.