Stored lipid decreased in cotyledons of afterripening seed of sour cherry (Prunus cerasusL.). The lipid apparently is degraded to acetate and metabolized by the glyoxylate cycle and reversal of glycolysis to free sugars, which are then transported to the embryonic axis, the major site of respiration during afterripening. The provision of substrate allows for activation of the pentose phosphate cycle, an increased respiratory rate of this tissue, and production of the necessary intermediates for synthesis of essential structural elements necessary for the germination process.