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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #353891
Title: Soybean seed physiology, quality, and chemical composition under soil moisture stress

Author
item WIJEWARDANA, CHATHURIKA - Mississippi State University
item REDDY, RAJA - Mississippi State University
item Bellaloui, Nacer

Submitted to: Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2018
Publication Date: 11/7/2018
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6236961
Citation: Wijewardana, C., Reddy, R., Bellaloui, N. 2018. Soybean seed physiology, quality, and chemical composition under soil moisture stress. Food Chemistry. 278:92-100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.11.035.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.11.035

Interpretive Summary: Soybean is a major crop in the world and its composition (seed protein, oil, fatty acids, sugars, and minerals) determines the nutritional quality of its seeds. Therefore, understanding the physiological factors controlling seed nutrients and maintaining higher nutritional value of seeds under environmental stress factors such as water stress is vital. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of water stress on seed protein, oil, fatty acids, sugars, and minerals. Results indicated that seed protein, palmitic and linoleic fatty acids, three sugars (sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose), and the minerals nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium significantly decreased whereas oil, three fatty acids (stearic, oleic and linolenic), and the minerals iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and boron increased in response to soil moisture stress. The relationship between seed protein and oil was negatively correlated. The changes in seed constituents could be due to water stress effects on nutrient accumulation and partitioning in seeds. This information suggests that to obtain higher nutritional value of soybean seeds, adequate soil moisture is required during flowering and seed formation stages. Also, the information in this research can help breeders understand the significance of temperature changes in selecting higher seed nutritional qualities.

Technical Abstract: Soybean seed quality is often determined by its constituents which are important to sustain overall nutritional aspects. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of soil moisture stress during reproductive stage on seed quality and composition. Plants were subjected to five levels of soil moisture stresses (100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% of irrigation water) at flowering under controlled conditions utilizing sunlit environmental growth chambers at Mississippi State University, MS, USA. Yield and quality traits were examined at maturity. Results indicated that seed protein, palmitic and linoleic acids, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose, N, P, K, and Ca significantly decreased whereas oil, stearic, oleic and linolenic acids, Fe, Mg, Zn, Cu, and B increased in response to soil moisture stress. The relationship between seed protein and oil was negatively correlated. The changes in seed constituents could be due to changes in nutrient accumulation and partitioning in soybean seeds under water stress. This information suggests that to obtain higher nutritional value of soybean seeds, adequate soil moisture is required during flowering and seed formation stages.