Abstract
The consumption of edamame [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in the US has rapidly increased due to its nutritional value and potential health benefits. In this study, 10 edamame genotypes were planted in duplicates in three different locations in the US—Whitethorne, Virginia (VA), Little Rock, Arkansas (AR), and Painter, VA. Edamame samples were harvested at the R6 stage of the bean development when beans filled 80–90% of the pod cavity. Afterward, comprehensive chemical composition analysis, including sugars, alanine, protein, oil, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), starch, ash, and moisture contents, were conducted on powdered samples using standard methods and the total sweetness was calculated based on the measured sugars and alanine contents. Significant effects of the location were observed on all chemical constituents of edamame (p < 0.05). The average performance of the genotypes was higher in Whitethorne for the contents of free sucrose (59.29 mg/g), fructose (11.42 mg/g), glucose (5.38 mg/g), raffinose (5.32 mg/g), stachyose (2.34 mg/g), total sweetness (78.63 mg/g), and starch (15.14%) when compared to Little Rock and Painter. The highest soluble alanine (2.67 mg/g), NDF (9.00%), ash (5.60%), and moisture (70.36%) contents were found on edamame planted in Little Rock while edamame planted in Painter had the highest crude protein (43.11%) and oil (20.33%) contents. Significant effects of genotype were observed on most of the chemical constituents (p < 0.05) except NDF and raffinose. Among the 10 genotypes, R13-5029 consistently had high sucrose content and total sweetness across the three locations, meanwhile it had relatively high protein and fiber contents. Overall, the results indicate that to breed better edamame genotypes in the US, both genotype and planting location should be taken into considerations.
Highlights
Edamame, more commonly referred to as “vegetable or edible soybean” in the US and mao dou in China, belongs to the same species as grain soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]
Each genotype was grown in two replications and the plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD)
The edamame planted in Whitethorne had an average sucrose content of 59.29 mg/g, which was much higher than the samples planted in Little Rock (42.82 mg/g) and Painter (40.60 mg/g)
Summary
More commonly referred to as “vegetable or edible soybean” in the US and mao dou in China, belongs to the same species as grain soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Edamame is a good source of vitamins (C, E, and thiamin), minerals, phytochemicals, and other active compounds (Johnson et al, 1999; Song et al, 2003; Kaiser and Ernst, 2013; Zeipina et al, 2017). With these superior nutritional constituents, edamame has potential health benefits to help reduce the risk of many diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis (Sirtori, 2001)
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