No abstract

Loss of seed quality in soybean is a serious problem in tropical and subtropical region. Foliar application of salicylic acid (SA), GA 3 and acetyl salicylic acid (50 ppm) at seedling and pod filling stage, K 2 HPO 4 (2%), -tocopherol (100 ppm) at flowering and pod filling stage was done on soybean varieties -NRC 7 and JS 335. Foliar application of SA showed positive effect on seed yield, seed health, germination and seed vigour during storage. Plant height was significantly improved by the GA 3 spray in both the varieties. Significantly higher seed yield was obtained with foliar spray of -tocopherol. Application of SA was found effective to protect plants from various diseases to get quality seed. -Tocopherol and K 2 HPO 4 treatment significantly reduced MDA production in seeds. -Tocopherol application increased super oxide dismutase activity as a result the lipid peroxidation of seed during storage was significantly reduced. Application of -tocopherol, K 2 HPO 4 and salicylic acid improved the storage or keeping quality of soybean seed.

Soybean crop is very sensitive to change in climate and suffers from vagaries of climate. The productivity thus gets affected in different years due to the influence of climatic condition, incidence of diseases and insects. Trichoderma sp. is considered as a potential biocontrol and growth promoting agents for many crop plants. Trichoderma spp. is generally being applied to the soil and seed as talcum powder form. Though powder formulations may be applied directly to seeds at the rate of 5g/kg seed, the effectiveness of Trichoderma seed treatment is lost due to poor adhesion on the smooth seed coat surface of soybean. Thus, it was targeted to achieve maximum benefit by Trichoderma seed treatment mediated through polymer coating. Two soybean cultivars were treated with Trichoderma viride with different formulation namely Trichoderma culture solution with polymer, Trichoderma culture talc with polymer, Trichoderma culture talc powder dry dressing. Endophytic growth of Trichoderma viride in root, stem and leaf was studied by agar plate method at 27±10C for seven days. The percentage of plants with Trichoderma endophytic growth was 97-100 per cent in plants from seeds treated with Trichoderma with polymer as compared to 37-45 per cent in plants from seeds treated with Trichoderma talc powder dry dressing. Control plants did not show any endophytic growth of Trichoderma. Significant increase in plant height was observed due to endophytic growth of Trichoderma. 24 per cent yield advantage was observed due to Trichoderma culture solution treatment with polymer. Seedling mortality due to collar rot (0.61%) and disease incidence of Myrothecium Leaf Spot, Anthracnose and Rhizoctonia Arial Blight (0.34%) was significantly lower than control (9.8% and 9.169%). Proper application of Trichoderma viride on soybean seed through polymer coating has significant potential to reduce diseases and to improve plant growth and seed yield.

Food security coupled with nutritional security is a great concern to address the menace of malnutrition. In the present study, total phenolic contents and antioxidant potential of 35 soybean genotypes have been determined (2018). Besides, the solvent system for efficient extraction of total phenolic content coupled with antioxidants (nutraceuticals) has been optimized. The results revealed that the higher total phenolic contents from soybean seed coats and cotyledons were obtained in acetone-water-acetic acid (70:28:02, v/v) mixture. Total phenolic content (TPC) in soybean genotypes were in the range of 2.58–51.37 μg/mL and 4.26–12.76 mg/mL in seed coats and cotyledons, respectively. In soybean seed coats, higher phenolic content was observed in JS76-205 genotype with 128.5 μg/ml, while JS-2 and MAUS-158 showed 9.00 μg/mL. On the other hand, TPC derived from soybean cotyledons of NRC-37 and MAU-81 showed 12.76 mg/mL; whereas in PS-1347 resulted 4.26 mg/mL. Characterization of phenolic compounds in soybean seed coat and cotyledon revealed the presence of protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxy benzoic acid, 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde, vanillic acid, vanillin, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. Further, antioxidant studies performed from soybean seed coats and cotyledons were in the range of 9.00–128.50 μg eq. ascorbic acid and 2.13–4.27 mg eq. ascorbic acid, respectively. This study demonstrates that the TPC derived from soybean coat and cotyledon can be used not only as nutraceutical but also ensure food and nutritional security.

Background: Salicylic acid (SA) is an endogenous plant growth regulator plays a vital role in plant growth, ion uptake, transport, interaction with other organisms and in the responses to environmental stress. The aim of the study was to find the effect of salicylic acid on chlorophyll content, superoxide dismutase and malondialdehyde level of leaves and seed yield parameters of soybean.Methods: Field trials were conducted during kharif 2018 and 2019 at ICAR-Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Indore farm (22.78oN, 75.88oE), India. Salicylic acid applied as foliar spray with (50,100 and 200 ppm) concentrations at vegetative stage (22-25 days after sowing) and at pod filling stage (57-60 days after sowing). Chlorophyll content, lipid peroxidation activity and superoxide dismutase enzyme, plant height, number of pod per plant, seed yield and seed index were determined.Result: Chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme were enhanced and the level of lipid peroxidation of leaves was reduced as compared to untreated plant when salicylic acid applied at critical stage of crop growth. Significant increase in soybean seed yield was observed both with concentration of 100 and 200 ppm salicylic acid. Foliar spray with salicylic acid @ 100 ppm at vegetative and at pod filling stage was very effective for better seed production programme to improve quantity as well as quality of soybean seeds.