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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stoneville, Mississippi » Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317223
Title: Ultraviolet-B radiation alters soybean growth and seed quality

Author
item REDDY, RAJA - Mississippi State University
item PATRO, HRUSIKESH - Orissa University Of Agriculture & Technology
item LOKHANDE, SURESH - Iowa State University
item Bellaloui, Nacer
item GAO, WEI - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Food and Nutrition Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2016
Publication Date: 1/28/2016
Citation: Reddy, R.K., Patro, H., Lokhande, S., Bellaloui, N., Gao, W. 2016. Ultraviolet-B radiation alters soybean growth and seed quality. Food and Nutrition Sciences. 7:55-66.

Interpretive Summary: Soybean protein, oil, fatty acids, and sugars are important constituents for human nutrition and livestock feed. Information about the effect of global climate change on these seed constituents is almost non-existent. Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the effects of the possible increase of ultraviolet radiation resulting from climate change and increasing stratospheric ozone depletion on soybean growth and seed quality of late season Round Up ready Soybean. The results showed that increasing UV-B radiation doses from 0.5 to 15 kilo joule per square meter per day resulted in a significant decrease in stem, pod dry weight, and seed number per plant compared with the control. Seed protein and sugars decreased with the increase in the doses of UV-B radiation compared with the control, while increased radiation resulted in an increase in the amount and composition of seed oil. This research demonstrated that supplemental UV-B radiation under controlled conditions reduced the growth of plants, and altered soybean seed constituents. In the context of future climate change, understanding soybean responses to the increasing intensities of UV-B radiation is much needed to develop suitable management and cultural practices for the future climates.

Technical Abstract: Information on the effects of ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation, due to possible global climate change, on soybean growth is limited, and its effects on seed quality (seed composition: protein, oil, fatty acids, and sugars) almost non-existent. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of varied levels of UV-B radiation (0.5, 10 & 15 kJ m-2d-1) on late season Round Up ready Soybean growth and seed quality components in order to better predict the consequences of increasing stratospheric ozone depletion in future. There was significant reduction in stem and pod dry weight of treated soybean at10 kJ m-2d-1 was in the order of 30.1 and 12.3 % compared with the control, respectively. No significant effects at 5 kJ m-2d-1. Pod and seed number per plant significantly decreased by UV-B radiation up to 5 kJ m-2d-1, exhibiting 8.1 and 9.1 % reduction compared with the control, respectively. The reduction in single seed weight was observed with the increase in UV-B radiation doses up to 15 kJ m-2d-1 (0.20 g seed-1), which is significantly lower than the control (0.22 g seed -1). Protein content consistently decreased with the increase in the doses of UV-B radiation up to 15 kJ m-2d-1. Compared with the control, the reduction in seed protein content at 5, 10 and 15 kJ m-2d-1 UV-B radiation was 1.14, 3.00, and 7.52 %, respectively. The increase in seed oil content at 15 kJ m-2d-1 was 8.08, 9.91, and 4.04 % compared with the control, 5, and 10 kJ m-2d-1, respectively. The reductions in fatty acid contents at 15 kJ m-2d-1 was 16.40, 11.64, and 17.31 % for palmitic acid, and 9.90, 11.47, and 10.58 % for stearic acids less than the control, and 5 and 10 kJ m-2d-1 doses, respectively. The increase in the doses of UV-B radiation up to 15 kJ m-2d-1 resulted in consistent decrease in oleic acid, increase in linolenic acid, while there was no significant effects on linoleic acid. The reduction in sucrose (15.8%), stachyose (9.1%) at 15 kJ m-2d-1, and in raffinose content (2.1%) at 5 kJ m-2d-1 UV-B radiation was significant compared with the control. The research demonstrated that supplemental UV-B irradiance altered seed composition by decreasing soybean seed protein, while increasing seed oil and linolenic acid contents. The mechanism of decreased protein and increased oil and linolenic acid content associated with the supplemental UV-B irradiance needs to be studied further.