Abstract
The cause of poor seed quality (germination) of soybean produced in the Early Soybean Production System in the midsouth U.S.A. is still not completely understood. Temperature, solar radiation, and soybean genotype may all be important factors involved. The objective of this research was to evaluate seed composition, mineral level, and nitrogen assimilation in high and low germinability soybean plant introductions in a full-sunlight (unshaded) and a low-light intensity (shaded) environments. Shade netting was employed in field plots that reduced light intensity by about 50% and air temperature by about 10?F/6?C (10%). A two-year field experiment was conducted on soybean accessions with high germinability (PI 587982A and PI 603723), low germinability (PI 80480 and PI 84976-1), and on soybean cultivars (DSR-3100 RR STS and Pella 86). Results showed that shade resulted in higher total oil, linoleic and linolenic acids, and lower protein and oleic acid. Shade also resulted in lower nitrogen assimilation, leaf chlorophyll concentration, but unshade resulted in higher total seed boron, iron, and nitrogen concentrations. Seed structural boron was positively correlated with germination and protein. Structural boron percentage was consistently higher under shade than under unshade in PI 80480, PI 84976-1, DSR-3100 RR STS, and Pella 86, but consistently higher under unshade than under shade in higher germinability lines PI 587982A and PI 603723, suggesting that different distribution mechanisms of structural boron exist between genotypes. The positive correlation between germination and structural B and between protein and structural B signify a possible role of B in seed quality traits. Our research demonstrated that light intensity, combined with temperature, can alter seed constituents. Higher germinability lines had higher germination rates and lower percentages of hardseededness, desirable traits for soybean seed.
Highlights
Soybean seed is a major source of protein, oil, and important minerals for food and feed [1]
The analysis showed that both shade and genotype were the most influential factors on most seed constituents, suggesting that shade or light intensity or both, and genotype differences were major sources of the variability of these constituent
The current research demonstrated that shade can alter seed constituents by decreasing protein and oleic acid in the Early Soybean Production System (a) and increasing oil, linoleic and linolenic acids
Summary
Soybean seed is a major source of protein, oil, and important minerals for food and feed [1]. A goal of The Better Bean Initiative, launched in 2000 by the United Soybean Board, is to modify the ratios of fatty acids (high oleic and low linolenic) in oil processing. These fatty acids contribute to the oxidative stability of the oil. Since breeding and genetically engineered genotypes for all desirable fatty acid combinations is difficult, it was suggested that the most desirable phenotype for soybean oil is 55% 18:1, and
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