Maternal Effects on Sugar Content in Soybean Seeds¹

Abstract

The feasibility of using single‐seed selection to change individual and total sugar content in seeds of soybeans [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was investigated. In four sets of crosses involving six genotypes, comparisons of F 1 seeds with parental selfed seed failed to show a consistent paternal effect. In two crosses, variances of sugar content among F 2 seeds were compared to corresponding parental variances, without detecting any significant genetic variation. In the one cross studied on an individual plant basis, the average individual and total sugar content of seeds on F 1 plants fell midway between those of seeds produced on the two parents. Comparisons of means of reciprocal F 1 plants gave no indication of cytoplasmic effects. Results indicate that selection for sugar content among single seeds would be inferior to selection among individual plants or plant progenies.