Environmental stability study of soybeans with modified carbohydrate profiles in maturity groups 0 to V

Authors: JO, HYUN - University Of Missouri; LORENZ, AARON - University Of Minnesota; RAINEY, KATY - Purdue University; SHANNON, J. GROVER - University Of Missouri; CHEN, PENGYIN - University Of Arkansas; Bilyeu, Kristin

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/19/2019
Publication Date: 6/27/2019
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6652189
Citation: Jo, H., Lorenz, A., Rainey, K., Shannon, J., Chen, P., Bilyeu, K.D. 2019. Environmental stability study of soybeans with modified carbohydrate profiles in maturity groups 0 to V. Crop Science. 59(4):1531-1543. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2018.09.0600.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2018.09.0600

Interpretive Summary: Soybean meal is widely used as a component of livestock rations because of the high level of protein and as a source of metabolizable energy. Modifying the accumulation of carbohydrate components is a reasonable approach to increasing the value and utilization of soybean meal. Sucrose is a desirable factor for livestock feeds, while the Raffinose Family of Oligosaccharides (RFO) are considered anti-nutritional carbohydrates. Soybean lines were developed with reduced to negligible amounts of seed RFO as well as increased sucrose levels targeted to different US production zones. The experimental soybean lines were produced in seven different environments, and the seed components were evaluated. The research results demonstrated the target genotype classes that could be used to incorporate an improved value meal trait into soybean varieties for US production environments.

Technical Abstract: Soybean is an important annual crop in the United States that is processed into two main products: a vegetable oil and a high protein meal utilized in livestock rations. Soybean variety development by plant breeding involves the incorporation of new traits that enhance value for the producer, processor, or end-user. Soybean varieties that have seed composition characteristics that improve the value of the meal while still allowing high yields are desirable. The raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFO) raffinose and stachyose are anti-nutritional carbohydrates that reduce the nutritional energy of soybean meal, while sucrose can be considered nutritionally beneficial in soybean meal. The objective of this study was to expand the understanding of the environmental stability of the carbohydrate profiles for soybean lines containing different allele combinations of two key raffinose synthase (RS2 and RS3) genes as well as targeted maturity gene combinations in a range of US soybean production environments. The results indicated that soybean genotypes with combinations of variant alleles of the RS2 and RS3 genes as well as maturity genes appropriate for the environment produced characteristic carbohydrate profiles. Environmental factors did have an effect on carbohydrate components, particularly for sucrose. None of the genotype classes was stable for sucrose, although most of the variant RS2 genotypes accumulated at least 7% sucrose over the studied environments. In addition, five of the six genotype classes were stable for stachyose. The results establish the genotype classes with W133- alleles of the RS2 gene suitable to develop soybean varieties in broad Maturity Group backgrounds that have an enhanced energy meal trait.