Seed composition of soybean cultivars evaluated in different environmental regions

Abstract

In Argentina, the soybean growing area comprises an extensive ecological region with great variations in environmental conditions. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of environment on some chemical parameters of soybeans grown in four geographic locations. Protein and oil contents ranged from 329 to 436 g kg−1 and from 198 to 267 g kg−1, respectively. Saturated fatty acids were relatively constant over regions, while significant variation was observed among environments for the unsaturated acids. There were significant varietal differences, but no important interaction of genotypes and environmental factors was observed. The results obtained are important for Argentinean farmers and will be used in soybean breeding programmes to obtain new genotypes with improved oil quality. © 1998 SCI.