Effects of genetics and environment on isoflavone content of soybean from different regions of Brazil

Mercedes Concórdia Carrão-Panizzi,Adelaide Del Pino Beléia,Maria Cristina Neves Oliveira,Keisuke Kitamura

doi:10.1590/s0100-204x1999001000004

Abstract

The effects of genetics and environmental factors on isoflavone content of soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars grown in different locations in Brazil in 1993/94 were evaluated. Seeds of different cultivars were analised by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Paraná (PR), and Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) States, a significant difference in the isoflavone total content average of the cultivars IAS 5 and FT-Abyara (163.9, 116.4 and 79.5 mg/100 g, respectively) was observed. In general, IAS 5 contained higher isoflavone than FT-Abyara. Cultivars IAS 5 and FT-Abyara grown at Vacaria, RS (28°30' S latitude) with temperature average of 19°C, had the highest isoflavone concentrations (218.7 and 163.8 mg/100 g, respectively). In Palotina, PR (24°27' S latitude), where temperature average was 24°C, the isoflavone concentrations were 105.9 and 86.8 mg/100 g, respectively. The lowest isoflavone contents were observed for FT-Estrela and FT-Cristalina, (27.6 and 46.5 mg/100 g, repectively) at Rondonópolis, MT (16°20' S latitude), where the temperature was 27°C.

Highlights

Potential health benefits of soy foods in the prevention and treatment of heart diseases and cancer warrant an increase in soybean consumption in the Western countries (Messina et al, 1994)
In different locations of the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, cultivar IAS 5 was consistently different from cultivar FT-Abyara considering isoflavone content, which suggested that genetic plays a significant role on isoflavone accumulation (Table 1)
In addition to genetic differences among cultivars, variation was observed in isoflavone contents of seeds harvested in different locations (Table 1), indicating that the isoflavone content was strongly affected by environmental conditions

Summary

Introduction

Potential health benefits of soy foods in the prevention and treatment of heart diseases and cancer warrant an increase in soybean consumption in the Western countries (Messina et al, 1994). Epidemiological data suggest that the low incidence of breast cancer in the Asian populations is related to their traditional diet, in which the soybean is an important component (Adlercreutz et al, 1991; Coward et al, 1993). Isoflavones was highly correlated with soybean products intake (Adlercreutz et al, 1991). Anticancer effects of isoflavones place particular emphasis on soybean which is a good source of these compounds (Messina, 1995). Isoflavones were found in soybean in the conjugated glucosides forms daidzin, genistin, and glycitin, their corresponding aglycones daidzein, genistein, and glycitein, and the malonyl glucosides: 6"-O-malonyl daidzin, 6"-O-malonyl genistin, and 6"-O-malonyl glycitin (Walter, 1941; Naim et al, 1973; Ohta et al, 1979, 1980; Kudou et al, 1991)

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Results