Nitrogen fixation and soil N level during maturation affect the contents of storage compounds of soybean seeds

Abstract We compared the concentrations and contents of protein and oil in mature seeds from nodulated and non-nodulated soybean plants grown on soils with four different N levels during maturation. We observed a positive correlation between the contents of protein and oil in seeds from nodulated plants. Seeds from nodulated plants grown on urea-treated soil showed higher protein and lower oil contents than those from plants grown on soil treated with coated slow release N fertilizer (LP-100). Contents of these compounds in seeds from nodulated plants grown on LP-100 soil were almost the same as those from non-nodulated plants on the same soil. These observations indicated that N economy in roots during seed maturation affects the contents of storage compounds. We suggested that the control of the N2 fixation activity of soybean plants and management of soil N level during seed maturation are important to determine the contents of protein and oil in seeds.

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