Abstract
Natto soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars are typically small seeded and seed yield is generally lower than that of oilseed cultivars. We investigated the effects of mass selection for small seed size on seed yield. Two sets of populations were developed, from crosses of natto and larger‐seeded parents, using mass selection; nine tested in three site‐years in 2003 and 2004, and four tested from 2002 to 2004. Populations were advanced with mass selection for seed size applied to F3 and F4 seeds using either no. 14 or 15 round‐hole sieves. F4:5 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from AC Colibri/OT91‐3, unselected for seed size, were evaluated from 2002 to 2004. Selection for small seed reduced seed weight but did not affect yield or days to maturity when comparing two sieve sizes. The seed yield of natto selections remained at about 80% of the oilseed check cultivars in this study. In nine populations, among progenies resulting from mass‐selection for seed size, random selections were significantly higher yielding and later maturing but did not differ in seed weight compared to visually selected lines. In four populations segregating for leaflet shape, mass selection for small seed size resulted in more narrow‐leaflet lines. Selection for narrow leaflets may aid in reducing seed size in some populations. The seed size distribution of the RILs suggests that selection for small seed size may cause a bottleneck in mass selected populations and result in small effective population sizes.
Published Version
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