Dry matter distribution, yield and seed quality of soybean (Glycine max) genotypes as affected by water stress

Abstract

Water stress is a major constraint for crop productivity and culturing right cultivars may produce a considerable yield under such stressful condition. An experiment was conducted inside a vinyl house to evaluate the effect of water stress on dry matter distribution, yield, and seed quality of eight soybean genotypes, viz. G00006, BD2336, AGS383, PK472, BCS-1, NCS-1, BU Soybean-1 and BARI Soybean-6. They were grown in pots and subjected to water stress (20% of field capacity, FC) and control (80% of FC). The water stress reduced plant height, leaf number, leaf, stem, and root dry matter by 23, 45, 46, 45 and 19%, respectively, across the genotypes. Under water stress, the soybean genotypes G00006, BCS-1, NCS-1 and BARI Soybean-6 beard only 6 to 30% pod and 5 to 34% seed compared to the control condition. The results further indicated that yield of BD2336 and AGS383 were less affected by the stress than those of other genotypes. Interestingly, water stress exerted positive effect on seed germination, viability, speed of germination and vigor index in BD2336 and AGS383, respectively. Nitrogen and seed protein content were found the highest in BCS-1 under control (9.82 and 58.42% respectively) followed by AGS383. Phosphorus content in seed also reduced by the stress in the tested genotypes, except BD2336 (0.29% in control and 0.96% in water stress) and BARI Soybean-6. Potassium content in seed was reduced by the stress in the tested genotypes, except G00006 and BARI Soybean-6. Based on the findings related to water stress effects on yield and seed quality, particularly seed protein of the tested eight soybean genotypes, it was concluded that genotypes AGS383 and BD2336 might be considered for field trial under water deficit condition.