Aldehyde reductase that catalyzes the reduction of the aldehyde carbonyl groups on saturated and alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes with more than 5 carbons (PubMed:21169366). No activity on alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones (PubMed:21169366). Can use propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, methylglyoxal, (e)-2-pentenal, (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenal and (E)-2-nonenal as substrates, but not propenal (acrolein), crotonaldehyde, 2-butanone, 3-buten-2-one or 1-penten-3-one (PubMed:21169366). May act as a short alcohol-polyol-sugar dehydrogenase possibly related to carbohydrate metabolism and the acquisition of desiccation tolerance (By similarity). May also be involved in signal transduction (By similarity). kcat is 4.3 sec(-1) for butyraldehyde. kcat is 1.7 sec(-1) for (E)-2-pentenal. kcat is 1.1 sec(-1) for (E)-2-hexenal. kcat is 7.3 sec(-1) for (E)-2-nonenal. kcat is 2.4 sec(-1) for methylglyoxal. Belongs to the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR) family.