Tocopherol content and agronomic performance of soybean lines with reduced palmitate

Abstract

<p>Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars have been developed with reduced-palmitate content that is controlled by the fap1 and fap3 alleles. Previous research that compared reduced-and normal-palmitate lines with different genetic backgrounds suggested that reduction in palmitate content may increase the tocopherol content of the oil. One objective of this study was to compare the tocopherol content of reduced- and normal-palmitate lines with similar genetic backgrounds. A second objective was to compare the agronomic and seed traits of the two types of lines. Three single-cross populations segregating for palmitate content were developed from which 20 reduced- and normal-palmitate lines were selected for evaluation at three environments during 2004. The mean total tocopherol content of the reduced-palmitate lines was 15% greater than the normal-palmitate lines, and the line with the greatest total tocopherol content in each population had reduced palmitate. The mean seed yield of the reduced-palmitate lines was 5.5% lower than the normal-palmitate lines. There were significant differences between the two types of lines for other agronomic and seed traits; however, the significant genetic variation among lines of each type would permit the selection of reduced-palmitate lines that were similar to normal-palmitate lines for those traits. Use of the reduced-palmitate trait would be advantageous to maximize the tocopherol content of soybean oil.</p>