Influence of Seed-filling Temperature on the Seed Quality and Water Soaking Properties of Soybean

ABSTRACT Korean soybean varieties, ‘Seonyu’ and ‘Hwangkeum’ were planted in 2012, and three temperature gradient, Tc(19.8℃, ambient temperatured), Tc+1.7℃, and Tc+2.5℃, were artificially created by controlling the green house system during seed filling period. Mature seeds that developed under these conditions were analyzed for variances in physicochemical properties. The 100-seed weight and seed-coat ratio of soybean were decreased, but small seed rate was increased by high temperature during seed filling period. Protein content was increased, but oil content was decreased significantly with increasing the seed filling temperature. The decrement of carbon to nitrogen ratio (C/N), and the increment of monosaccharide, fructose and sucrose, in seeds explained that carbohydrate assimilation during seed filling was restricted by high temperature. Rapid increments of seed volume and weight were observed in the seeds of high seed filling temperature, but as soaking time increased the highest values were observed in the seeds of ambient seed filling temperature. The 100-seed weight and seed-coat ratio of soybean were closely related not only to the increment of soaking volume and weight, but also the increments of total dissolved solids (TDS) and electro conductivity (EC). Whereas protein content and C/N ratio showed less relationship with the soaking properties, but they had a positive correlation with TDS and EC. From the results, it was considered that high values of TDS and EC in the seeds of high temperature were mainly due to the incomplete conversion of assimilates into storage compounds. However, sugar content showed less influence on the soaking properties and the values of TDS and EC.Keywords : soybean, seed filling, high temperature, soaking properties, TDS, EC