Genetic Analysis of High Sucrose, Low Raffinose, and Low Stachyose Content in V99-5089 Soybean Seeds

Abstract

Seed sugar content is an important trait for food-grade soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Few reports exist on the genetics of soybean seed sucrose and oligosaccharides contents. The objective of this research was to determine the inheritance of high sucrose and low raffinose and stachyose contents in V99-5089 soybean seeds. The sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose contents were investigated in 125 F3-derived progenies developed from a cross between ‘Ozark’ and V99-5089. The bimodal distribution with good fit to single gene segregation ratio was observed for sucrose content with high sucrose as recessive, for raffinose content with low raffinose as recessive, and for stachyose content with low stachyose as recessive in the V99-5089-derived population. Strong correlations were recorded between sucrose and raffinose (r = −0.88) and between sucrose and stachyose (r = −0.96), indicating that the desirable food-grade soybean progenies with high sucrose and low oligosaccharides content (low raffinose and low stachyose) can be selected from V99-5089-derived populations. This research provides breeders an excellent germplasm, i.e., V99-5089, with high sucrose, low raffinose, and low stachyose content to use as parent in soybean food-grade breeding programs.