Soybean Research Articles

Farmland mulching and optimized irrigation increase water productivity and seed yield by regulating functional parameters of soybean (Glycine max L.) leaves

In both arid and semi-arid regions, adopting field mulching can effectively optimize soil moisture distribution, enhance crop yields, and improve water productivity. While acknowledging its advantages, field mulching seems insufficient for maintaining high crop productivity due to the increasing frequency of extreme weather. Furthermore, drought often coincides with critical crop growth stages, necessitating the implementation of agricultural irrigation to ensure normal crop growth. Accordingly, we conducted a three-year field experiment from 2021 to 2023 including three typical field mulching methods (no mulching, NM; straw mulching, SM; plastic film mulching, FM) and three supplementary irrigation strategies (irrigated at the branching stage (V4), W1; irrigated at the pod-filling stage (R2), W2; irrigated at both the V4 and R2 stage, W3). Throughout the entire growth period, we monitored soil moisture conditions for each treatment, measured leaf physiological parameters at crucial growth stages, and assessed soybean yields and water productivity (WP). Our findings indicated that, relative to SM and NM, FM maintains optimal soil moisture balance, augments chlorophyll content, and enhances photosynthesis, resulting in an average yield increase of 17.0% and 38.3% over three growing seasons. Additionally, supplementary irrigation also significantly affects the growth and seed yield of soybean. FMW2 achieved the higher seed yield (4307.5kgha-1, 3-year averaged), had insignificant difference with the highest seed yield of 4568.6kgha-1, both significantly higher than other treatments. Similarly, the leaf area index, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr) also presented insignificant difference between FMW2 and FMW3, while WUEleaf (Pn/Tr) of FMW2 obviously higher than that of FMW3. As a result, FMW2 achieved the highest WP of 12.2kgha-1 mm-1 over the three growing seasons, compared to the three-year average of the other treatments, the increase ranges from 5.6% to 46.7%. In summary, the FMW2 treatment optimized water distribution to meet the water demands of soybeans during the reproductive growth stages, achieving a beneficial balance between soybean seed production and WP by regulating leaf functional parameters. Future research will explore more specific irrigation scheduling techniques (e.g., precision irrigation, deficit irrigation, and sensor-based irrigation management systems) while integrating innovative agricultural film materials (e.g., biodegradable films) to further enhance crop resilience and productivity under evolving climatic conditions.

Application and prospect of BSA method based on bibliometrics in crop breeding.

In order to understand the progress and frontier in the application of BSA(bulked segregant analysis) method in crop breeding and to reflect objectively the contribution of different countries, institutions and researchers in this field at home and abroad, this study analyzed 2111 items in the WOS (Web of Science) database from 2000 to 2023 and 446 items in the CNKI (China National through Knowledge Infrastructure) database from 2003 to 2023, regarding the researches of the application of BSA in crop breeding, basing on bibliometric analysis methods using CiteSpace software including keyword co-occurrence analysis, highlight word analysis, keyword clustering analysis, clustering timeline analysis and author co-citation. The results showed that there was an consistent increasing trend in the publication number of the application of BSA in crop breeding both in the domestic and foreign journals year by year. Ranking of the top countries according to the number of publications was China, the United States and India. The Huazhong Agricultural University displayed the highest number of publications in the CNKI database, while the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences was found to have the highest number of publications in the WOS database. The published articles related to the application of BSA in crop breeding abroad mainly focused on the disciplines such as plant science, agronomy, horticulture and genetics, while those in China mainly concentrated on such disciplines as plant science, plant protection, horticulture and biology. The top three authors in terms of influence in the field of appling BSA in crop breeding were Michelmore RW, Kosambi DD and Li H, while Michelmore RW, Lander ES and Li H had closer cooperations with other authors. The top three crops relating to the studies of BSA were rice(Oryza sativa), soybean(Glycine max), corn(Zea mays L.) with the hot spot traits of disease resistance and plant height domestically. The top three crops involving the studies of BSA were rice, Arabidopsis thaliana and wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) with hot spot traits of disease resistance abroad. Up to now, BSA was mainly used to localize and functionally verify the candidate genes linking target traits and the mutated genes in crops in the domestical documents, while the foreign published studies based on BSA were mainly focused on the fine mapping and functional verification of target trait genes aiming at the revelation of genetic mechanisms in crops. Research frontier analysis indicated that rice, peanuts(Arachis hypogaea L.), upland cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.) would be the main objects of studies concerning application of BSA in crop breeding with the hot topics of crop mutants and crop metabolites in the future.

Identification and Expression Profile of NCED Genes in Arachis hypogaea L. during Drought Stress

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop that provides essential proteins and oils for human and animal consumption. 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) have been found can play a vital role in abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and may be a response to drought stress. Until now, in Arachis hypogaea, no information about the NCED gene family has been reported and the importance of NCED-related drought tolerance is unclear. In this study, eight NCED genes in Arachis hypogaea, referred to as AhNCEDs, are distributed across eight chromosomes, with duplication events in AhNCED1 and AhNCED2, AhNCED3 and AhNCED4, and AhNCED6 and AhNCED7. Comparative analysis revealed that NCED genes are highly conserved among plant species, including Pisum sativum, Phaseolus vulgaris, Glycine max, Arabidopsis thaliana, Gossypium hirsutum, and Oryza sativa. Further promoter analysis showed AhNCEDs have ABA-related and drought-inducible elements. The phenotyping of Arachis hypogaea cultivars NH5 and FH18 demonstrated that NH5 is drought-tolerant and FH18 is drought-sensitive. Transcriptome expression analysis revealed the differential regulation of AhNCEDs expression in both NH5 and FH18 cultivars under drought stress. Furthermore, compared to the Arachis hypogaea cultivar FH18, the NH5 exhibited a significant upregulation of AhNCED1/2 expression under drought. To sum up, this study provides an insight into the drought-related AhNCED genes, screened out the potential candidates to regulate drought tolerance and ABA biosynthesis in Arachis hypogaea.

Effects of fast and slow-wilting soybean genotypes on fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) growth and development

ABSTRACT Soybean (Glycine max) is the most important plant protein source, and Fall Armyworm (FAW, Spodoptera frugiperda) is considered a major pest. This study aimed to examine the impact of FAW feeding on soybean accessions that vary in their water use efficiency (WUE) traits, by examining FAW growth and life history parameters along with plant growth response to pest damage. Soybean accessions were grown in a greenhouse and exposed to FAW larval feeding for 48 h at three different soybean growth stages: V3, R3, and R6. The growth and development of the FAW and soybeans were monitored. Results showed that faster wilting soybean accessions grow taller and have more leaves than slower wilting accessions, but yield was higher in slower wilting soybean accessions. FAW experienced the highest mortality on mid-stage (R3) soybean plants, but they gained the least mass on early stage (V3) soybean plants. These results can assist in better understanding plant insect-interactions at different life stages in both soybean and FAW with implications for management.

The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research cropland common experiment at Northern Plains.

Cropland agriculture in the northern Great Plains is challenged by variable weather, agricultural intensification, and competing use for energy development. Innovative cropland practices that address these challenges are needed to ensure regional agriculture can sustainably meet future food, fuel, and fiber demand. In response to this need, the Northern Plains Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network site established a cropland experiment in 2019 that contrasts prevailing and alternative practices at plot and field scales over a proposed 30-year time frame. The experimental site is located on the Area IV Soil Conservation Districts Cooperative Research Farm near Mandan, ND. Cropping practices for the first 6 years of the experiment were developed with input from stakeholders and include a 3-year crop rotation of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), corn (Zea mays L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) with cover crops (alternative practice) and without (prevailing practice). The prevailing practice also involves the removal of crop residue, while a second alternative practice of perennial forages is included in the plot-scale experiment. Biophysical measurements are made at both spatial scales at frequencies aligned with approved methods for each agronomic and environmental metric. Findings from the first 6 years of the experiment will help identify tradeoffs associated with cover crop use and residue removal in dryland cropping systems. In the future, the experiment will adopt a knowledge co-production approach whereby researchers and stakeholders will work collaboratively to identify problems, implement research, and interpret results.

Identification of soybean mosaic virus strain SC7 resistance loci and candidate genes in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is an important legume crop worldwide, which provides abundant plant protein and oil for human beings. Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) can cause serious damage to the yield and quality of soybean, but it is difficult to control SMV with chemicals, breeding SMV-resistant varieties has become the most effective way to control the disease. Therefore, it is important to identify SMV resistance genes from soybean resources and apply them to soybean breeding. In this study, the disease rates (DRs) of 219 soybean accessions to SMV strain SC7 in two environments were investigated. A high-density NJAU 355K SoySNP array was used for genome-wide association study (GWAS) of DR. A 274kb region on chromosome 15 (1,110,567bp to 1,384,173bp) was repeatedly detected in two environments. Six new significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on chromosome 15 were identified. Four of these six SNPs were located within two candidate genes, Glyma.15G015700 and Glyma.15G015800. The elite haplotype Glyma.15G015700Hap I with low DR exhibited strong resistance to SC7. The expression of Glyma.15G015700 in the SMV-resistant accession increased significantly after inoculation with SC7. Furthermore, most of the proteins predicted to interact with Glyma.15G015700 are heat shock proteins, which have been shown to be related to disease resistance. In summary, new SMV resistance loci and a new candidate gene, Glyma.15G015700, were identified and might be utilized in further soybean disease resistance breeding.

Selective allele stacking of a novel quantitative trait locus facilitates the enhancement of seed epicatechin content in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)

(-)-Epicatechin (EC), a primary form of flavan-3ol and a building block of proanthocyanidins, has health benefits as it is a potent antioxidant. So far, no quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with EC have yet been identified in soybean. In this study, QTLs for EC and hilum color were identified in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from the varieties Jinpung and IT109098 using high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism linkage mapping. This revealed two major QTLs for EC content, qEC06 and qEC08. qEC06 spanned the Tawny (T) locus encoding flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase. qEC08, located near the Inhibitor (I) locus on Chr08, was also a major QTL for hilum color; however, allelic stacking of qEC08 and I revealed no relationship between I and EC content. RILs with IT109098 alleles at both qEC06 and qEC08 had higher EC content than other lines. These results will enable the production of soybean varieties with high EC content via marker-assisted selection.

Prolonged soybean absence in the field selects for rhizobia that accumulate more polyhydroxybutyrate during symbiosis

AbstractDuring symbiosis, C that rhizobia respire to power N fixation can be stored as polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), shown to support rhizobia survival under laboratory starvation. We collected soil in 2015 from four replicate plots per treatment in two long‐term experiments at Waseca, MN. Treatments differed in the intervals between soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] hosts. We measured PHB accumulation in eight nodules per plant from four soybean (cv. MN0095) trap plants per soil sample. Trap plants were arranged in a greenhouse, common‐garden experiment, and PHB accumulation was measured using flow cytometry. Treatments sampled after long intervals without soybean (greater than 2 years) showed a greater relative abundance of high‐PHB strains. Treatments sampled after the first year of soybean following 5 years of a non‐host crop showed a decreased relative abundance of high‐PHB strains, compared to treatments sampled after long intervals without soybean. The latter result is consistent with the hypothesis (not tested directly here) that some high‐PHB strains were “sanctioned” by plants as less beneficial. Our results suggest that rhizobia strains with the tendency to allocate more C to N fixation at the expense of PHB accumulation may be less likely to persist where soybean is grown infrequently or where soil conditions make PHB particularly valuable. However, with typical 2‐year rotations in Minnesota, differences in PHB storage are unlikely to have a major effect on the relative survival of strains.

Multistate Sensitivity Monitoring of Fusarium virguliforme to the SDHI Fungicides Fluopyram and Pydiflumetofen in the United States.

Sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused by Fusarium virguliforme, is an important yield-limiting disease of soybean (Glycine max). From 1996 to 2022, cumulative yield losses attributed to SDS in North America totaled over 25 million metric tons, which was valued at over US $7.8 billion. Seed treatments are widely used to manage SDS by reducing early season soybean root infection by F. virguliforme. Fluopyram (succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor [SDHI] - FRAC 7), a fungicide seed treatment for SDS management, has been registered for use on soybean in the United States since 2014. A baseline sensitivity study conducted in 2014 evaluated 130 F. virguliforme isolates collected from five states to fluopyram in a mycelial growth inhibition assay and reported a mean EC50 of 3.35 mg/liter. This baseline study provided the foundation for the objectives of this research: to detect any statistically significant change in fluopyram sensitivity over time and geographical regions within the United States and to investigate sensitivity to the fungicide pydiflumetofen. We repeated fluopyram sensitivity testing on a panel of 80 historical F. virguliforme isolates collected from 2006 to 2013 (76 of which were used in the baseline study) and conducted testing on 123 contemporary isolates collected from 2016 to 2022 from 11 states. This study estimated a mean absolute EC50 of 3.95 mg/liter in isolates collected from 2006 to 2013 and a mean absolute EC50 of 4.19 mg/liter in those collected in 2016 to 2022. There was no significant change in fluopyram sensitivity (P = 0.1) identified between the historical and contemporary isolates. A subset of 23 isolates, tested against pydiflumetofen under the same conditions, estimated an absolute mean EC50 of 0.11 mg/liter. Moderate correlation was detected between fluopyram and pydiflumetofen sensitivity estimates (R = 0.53; P < 0.001). These findings enable future fluopyram and pydiflumetofen resistance monitoring and inform current soybean SDS management strategies in a regional and national context.

Comparing the Potential of Silicon Nanoparticles and Conventional Silicon for Salinity Stress Alleviation in Soybean (Glycine max L.): Growth and Physiological Traits and Rhizosphere/Endophytic Bacterial Communities.

In this study, 20-day-old soybean plants were watered with 100 mL of 100 mM NaCl solution and sprayed with silica nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) or potassium silicate every 3 days over 15 days, with a final dosage of 12 mg of SiO2 per plant. We assessed the alterations in the plant's growth and physiological traits, and the responses of bacterial microbiome within the leaf endosphere, rhizosphere, and root endosphere. The result showed that the type of silicon did not significantly impact most of the plant parameters. However, the bacterial communities within the leaf and root endospheres had a stronger response to SiO2 NPs treatment, showing enrichment of 24 and 13 microbial taxa, respectively, compared with the silicate treatment, which led to the enrichment of 9 and 8 taxonomic taxa, respectively. The rhizosphere bacterial communities were less sensitive to SiO2 NPs, enriching only 2 microbial clades, compared to the 8 clades enriched by silicate treatment. Furthermore, SiO2 NPs treatment enriched beneficial genera, such as Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Variovorax in the leaf and root endosphere, likely enhancing plant growth and salinity stress resistance. These findings highlight the potential of SiO2 NPs for foliar application in sustainable farming by enhancing plant-microbe interactions to improve salinity tolerance.

Prevalence, diversity and applications potential of nodules endophytic bacteria: a systematic review

Legumes are renowned for their distinctive biological characteristic of forming symbiotic associations with soil bacteria, mostly belonging to the Rhizobiaceae familiy, leading to the establishment of symbiotic root nodules. Within these nodules, rhizobia play a pivotal role in converting atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-assimilable form. However, it has been discerned that root nodules of legumes are not exclusively inhabited by rhizobia; non-rhizobial endophytic bacteria also reside within them, yet their functions remain incompletely elucidated. This comprehensive review synthesizes available data, revealing that Bacillus and Pseudomonas are the most prevalent genera of nodule endophytic bacteria, succeeded by Paenibacillus, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Agrobacterium, and Microbacterium. To date, the bibliographic data available show that Glycine max followed by Vigna radiata, Phaseolus vulgaris and Lens culinaris are the main hosts for nodule endophytic bacteria. Clustering analysis consistently supports the prevalence of Bacillus and Pseudomonas as the most abundant nodule endophytic bacteria, alongside Paenibacillus, Agrobacterium, and Enterobacter. Although non-rhizobial populations within nodules do not induce nodule formation, their presence is associated with various plant growth-promoting properties (PGPs). These properties are known to mediate important mechanisms such as phytostimulation, biofertilization, biocontrol, and stress tolerance, emphasizing the multifaceted roles of nodule endophytes. Importantly, interactions between non-rhizobia and rhizobia within nodules may exert influence on their leguminous host plants. This is particularly shown by co-inoculation of legumes with both types of bacteria, in which synergistic effects on plant growth, yield, and nodulation are often measured. Moreover these effects are pronounced under both stress and non-stress conditions, surpassing the impact of single inoculations with rhizobia alone.

Development and Validation of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Core Sets and Identification of Trait-specific Accessions from the Best Core Set

Development and Validation of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] Core Sets and Identification of Trait-specific Accessions from the Best Core Set

Comparative transcriptomic analysis provides insights into the genetic networks regulating oil differential production in oil crops

BackgroundPlants differ more than threefold in seed oil contents (SOCs). Soybean (Glycine max), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), rapeseed (Brassica napus), and sesame (Sesamum indicum) are four important oil crops with markedly different SOCs and fatty acid compositions.ResultsCompared to grain crops like maize and rice, expanded acyl-lipid metabolism genes and relatively higher expression levels of genes involved in seed oil synthesis (SOS) in the oil crops contributed to the oil accumulation in seeds. Here, we conducted comparative transcriptomics on oil crops with two different SOC materials. In common, DIHYDROLIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE, STEAROYL-ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN DESATURASE, PHOSPHOLIPID:DIACYLGLYCEROL ACYLTRANSFERASE, and oil-body protein genes were both differentially expressed between the high- and low-oil materials of each crop. By comparing functional components of SOS networks, we found that the strong correlations between genes in “glycolysis/gluconeogenesis” and “fatty acid synthesis” were conserved in both grain and oil crops, with PYRUVATE KINASE being the common factor affecting starch and lipid accumulation. Network alignment also found a conserved clique among oil crops affecting seed oil accumulation, which has been validated in Arabidopsis. Differently, secondary and protein metabolism affected oil synthesis to different degrees in different crops, and high SOC was due to less competition of the same precursors. The comparison of Arabidopsis mutants and wild type showed that CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE 9, the conserved regulator we identified, was a factor resulting in different relative contents of lignins to oil in seeds. The interconnection of lipids and proteins was common but in different ways among crops, which partly led to differential oil production.ConclusionsThis study goes beyond the observations made in studies of individual species to provide new insights into which genes and networks may be fundamental to seed oil accumulation from a multispecies perspective.

GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and functions in soybean defense against soybean cyst nematode.

The soybean gene GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and its overexpression led to significant reduction in development of pathogenic soybean cyst nematode. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) is one of the most devastating pests of soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). In searching for SCN-defense genes, a soybean gene of the methylesterase (MES) family was found to be upregulated in an SCN-resistant soybean line and downregulated in an SCN-susceptible line upon SCN infection. This gene was designated as GmSABP2-1. Here, we report on biochemical and overexpression studies of GmSABP2-1 to examine its possible function in SCN resistance. The protein encoded by GmSABP2-1 is closely related to known methyl salicylate esterases. To determine the biochemical function of GmSABP2-1, a full-length cDNA of GmSABP2-1 was cloned into a protein expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli. The resulting recombinant GmSABP2-1 was demonstrated to catalyze the demethylation of methyl salicylate. The biochemical properties of GmSABP2-1 were determined. Its apparent Km value was 46.2 ± 2.2μM for methyl salicylate, comparable to those of the known methyl salicylate esterases. To explore the biological significance of GmSABP2-1 in soybean defense against SCN, we first overexpressed GmSABP2-1 in transgenic hairy roots of an SCN-susceptible soybean line. When infected with SCN, GmSABP2-1-overexpressing hairy roots showed 84.5% reduction in the development of SCN beyond J2 stage. To provide further genetic evidence for the role of GmSABP2-1 in SCN resistance, stable transgenic soybean plants overexpressing GmSABP2-1 were produced. Analysis of the GmSABP2-1-overexpressing lines showed a significant reduction in SCN development compared to non-transgenic plants. In conclusion, we demonstrated that GmSABP2-1 encodes methyl salicylate esterase and functions as a resistance-related gene against SCN.

Effect of Mineral Fertilizers and Pesticides Application on Bacterial Community and Antibiotic-Resistance Genes Distribution in Agricultural Soils

Soils are a hotspot for the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. The effects of agrochemical treatments on the bacterial community of agricultural soils and the content of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) were studied. Treatments included the following: control, mineral fertilizers (NPKs), pesticides, and the combined treatment of soils under soya (Glycine max), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Bacterial community taxonomic composition was studied using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The content of 10 ARGs and 3 integron genes (intI1, intI2, intI3) was determined using quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that the treatments had little effect on the taxonomic composition and diversity of the soil bacterial community. The most significant factors determining differences in the microbial community were sampling time and soil physico-chemical parameters. A significant role of the bacterial community in ARG distribution in soils was demonstrated. Representatives of the Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Sphingomonas, Arthrobacter genera, and the Nocardioidaceae and Micrococcaceae families were likely ARG hosts. The presence of integron genes of all three classes was detected, the most numerous being intI3. This work provides important information on the role of agricultural soils in ARG transfer, and the findings may be useful for sustainable and safe agricultural development.

QTL Mapping and Candidate Gene Mining for Stem Diameter Using Genetic Basis of Cultivated Soybean and Wild Soybean

Soybean (Glycine max) is a vital food crop, serving as a major source of high-quality protein for human and animal consumption. Stem diameter is one of the primary determinants of the stem lodging resistance of a given plant, but there has been relatively little research to date focused on genes associated with this trait. To address this gap in the literature, 207 chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) were generated in the present study through the crossing and backcrossing of the improved Suinong14 and the wild ZYD00006 soybean varieties. These CSSLs were then used for the mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with stem diameter in two-year field planting materials, leading to the identification of nine QTLs. Whole genome resequencing, RNA-seq, and qPCR were then used to evaluate candidate genes associated with stem diameter within these QTL intervals, ultimately leading to the selection of Glyma.04G004100 as a stem diameter-related gene. Subsequent qPCR analyses revealed that Glyma.04g004100 was upregulated in soybean plants with larger stem diameters, and haplotype analyses yielded results consistent with these stem diameter data in the population used to conduct this study. In summary, a series of QTLs associated with stem diameter were identified in the present study, resulting in the establishment of Glyma.04g004100 as a stem diameter-related gene. Together, these results offer a theoretical foundation for the future molecular-assisted breeding of lodging-resistant soybean varieties, and future functional research focused on Glyma.04g004100 may elucidate the molecular mechanisms and key signaling networks involved in soybean stem development.

Development of near-infrared fluorescent sensor and portable measuring device for on-site quantitation of Cys in food samples

Cys plays significant roles in food industries. It is very necessary to on-site quantify Cys content in food samples. Herein, we rationally developed a fluorescent sensor, YF, for on-site measurement of Cys in various foodstuffs. Sensor YF showed fluorescence response to Cys in near infrared (NIR) region, which could dramatically mitigate the interference of autofluorescence in foodstuffs. Moreover, sensor YF exhibited obvious colorimetric change to Cys. Accordingly, the sensor YF was capable of detecting Cys via both fluorescence method and colorimetric method, making the detection more reliable. Sensor YF also presented high selectivity and sensitivity to Cys, and its detection limits was measured to be 88 nM. The practical application demonstrated that sensor YF was able to monitor Cys in live cells and zebrafish via fluorescence imaging. Moreover, variations of Cys concentration in spinach leaves under different Cd2+ stress were effectively tracked. To accomplish on-site quantitation of Cys content in foodstuffs, a simple and portable measuring device was made. Sensor YF and the portable measuring device were successfully utilized for quantitation of Cys in food samples such as dry red pepper, tomato and soy bean. The detection method established herein will be conveniently employed for on-site quantitation of Cys in various food samples.

Phytochemical studies in some varieties of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and their hybrids

In the present investigation, an attempt has been made to congregate the phytochemical studies done on intervarietal F1 hybrids of soybean (Glycine max L.) along with their parents. The eleven F1 hybrids were obtained by intervarietal crossing done using five varieties of soybean viz Bragg(BG), NRC7(NR), Punjab1(PN), PUSA98-14(PU) and JS9560(JS).Estimation of phenols was done by FCR Method using Gallic acid as standard. The total phenolic content was found highest in the cross JSXNR and lowest in BGXNR. Total tannin content was determined using FCR method. Total tannin content was highest in NRXJS and least in BGXPN. In addition, total flavonoids were determined using Alcl3 reagent and antioxidant activity by DPPH method. Total flavonoids was found maximum in PNXNR and least in PUXPN respectively. Highest Antioxidant Activity was 50.31% in JSXPN and lowest was 39.08% in NRXJS. The results suggested that besides protein and oil contents, the phenolic contents should also be considered as an important characteristic feature of soybean seeds, and as a potential selection criterion for antioxidant activity in soybean.

Seedling Emergence and Growth Can Be Improved by Char Carbon Created During Thermal Treatment of Petroleum-Impacted Soils

ABSTRACT Thermal treatment of soils to remove petroleum hydrocarbons alters soil properties in ways that limit germination potential for plants used in revegetation efforts. However, recent studies have shown that a char material with the potential to offset fertility-reducing effects is produced by the pyrolysis of hydrocarbons during treatment. In this study, seedling emergence and growth (14 days) of two plant species, soybean (Glycine max) and oat (Avena sativa), were evaluated in four soils of contrasting properties treated with 5% (by mass) oil addition and two levels of salt addition. Three temperatures (300, 425, and 550°C) of thermal desorption (TD) and one smolder remediation approach were employed to remove the oil prior to planting. Results indicate that seedling response to temperature of thermal treatment and salt addition is dependent both upon plant species and soil properties. Higher temperatures were necessary to remove crude oil to levels low enough to allow germination. The smoldering approach did not remove enough oil to allow germination. This is the first study to show that early shoot mass and root mass are improved following TD treatment compared with an untreated control under certain conditions. The outcomes will be valuable for designing TD treatments when revegetation is the goal.

Effect of Foliar Application of Selected Plant Growth Regulators on Growth and Yield of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill

Background: Soybean (Glycine max), a prized oilseed crop known for its nutritional richness, is the focus of a study aiming to boost production with minimal environmental impact. The research explores the application of plant growth regulators (PGRs), specifically Gibberellic Acid (GA3), Kinetin and Salicylic Acid, in field experiments during the kharif seasons of 2022 and 2023 in Beed, India. Methods: The study applied Gibberellic Acid (GA3), Kinetin and Salicylic Acid at different concentrations in field experiments. A comprehensive analysis of growth and yield attributes, including plant height, primary branches, Leaf Area Index (LAI), root nodules and Crop Growth Rate (CGR), was conducted to assess the influence of PGR treatments on soybean growth. Yield attributes such as pod count, pod weight, seed count per pod and 100-seed weight were scrutinized to understand their effects on soybean productivity. Result: The study highlighted significant effects of PGR treatments on soybean growth and yield. Notably, Kinetin at 500 ppm promoted the tallest plants, while GA3 at 200 ppm resulted in the shortest. Kinetin at 100 ppm increased primary branches and Salicylic Acid at 50 ppm exhibited the highest LAI and abundant root nodules. Kinetin at 500 ppm and Salicylic Acid at 50 ppm showed higher CGR, indicating efficient crop growth. For yield, Kinetin at 500 ppm excelled in pod count and weight. GA3 at 100 ppm was identified as the most effective PGR for enhancing various growth parameters and soybean seed yield, suggesting the potential of PGRs in sustainable cultivation, reducing reliance on chemical inputs.