Investigation of Biochemical Diversity in a Soybean Lineage Representing 35 Years of Breeding

This paper reports an assessment of seed biochemical and metabolite variability and diversity in a series of nine soybean varieties; all lines share the same genetic lineage but represent ∼35 years of breeding (launch years 1972–2008) and differing yield potentials. These varieties, including six conventional and three glyphosate-tolerant lines, were grown concurrently at two replicated field sites in the United States during the 2011 growing season, and seeds were harvested at maturity. A compositional assessment included measurement of proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, tocopherols, isoflavones, saccharides, organic acids, and selected phytohormones. Statistical analysis included application of principal variance component analysis (PVCA) to investigate the interrelationships among compositional components from these soybean varieties and the impacts of location (environment) and pedigree on variability of these components. Results demonstrated that (i) some biochemical analytes showed trends (either increased or decreased) with launch year and/or yield, (ii) some analytes varied according to variety but showed no trend with launch year and/or yield, and (iii) almost all analytes showed extensive variation within and across sites. In summary, varietal development of high-yielding soybean, as represented in this study, has been accompanied by compositional changes but these are typically modest relative to environmental factors.