Phosphorylation of ECCP44 protein is thought to be involved in the acquisition of embryogenic competence. Unlike other dehydrins, it is not thought to function as an environmental stress tolerant. By stress compounds such as sucrose, sodium chloride, calcium chloride and abscisic acid in shoot apices. Phosphorylated in embryogenic and somatic embryos. Not phosphorylated in non-embryogenic cells. Belongs to the plant dehydrin family.