Yield, proteins, bioactive compounds and minerals in food-type soybean grains in different environments

Abstract

Soybean is characterized as a nutritional and functional food by virtue of its high concentrations of minerals and bioactive compounds -the group of phenolic compounds, mainly. The yield and chemical composition of soybean grains are influenced by genetic and environmental factors and their interactions. This study proposes to examine the yield and chemical composition of grains of food-type soybean genotypes in different environments. Six food-type soybean genotypes sown in the first week of October and in the first week of November in the municipalities of Londrina and Guarapuava (Paraná State, Brazil) were evaluated. Grain yield and weight, protein percentages, phenolic compound and total flavonoid contents and Ca, Mg, Cu, Fe and Zn contents were evaluated. Combined analysis of variance revealed a genotype × environment interaction (GE) effect for the yield traits, 100-grain weight and for the mineral Ca. Higher yields and 100-grain weights were observed under milder maximum-temperature conditions. High maximum temperatures resulted in higher protein percentages and total flavonoid, Ca and Zn contents. Soybean lines UEL 110 and UEL 115 possess high grain yield capacity and higher Ca, Mg and Zn contents.