Effect of Preplant Fertilizer on Agronomic and Physiological Traits of Soybean Cultivars from Different Breeding Programs

• Published in: Agricultural sciences in China Vol. 9; no. 11; pp. 1602 - 1611
• Main Authors: XIE, Fu-ti, ZHANG, Hui-jun, WANG, Hai-ying, AO, Xue, St. Martin, Steven K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-11-2010; Agricultural College,Shenyang Agricultural University,Shenyang 110161,P.R.China%Department of Horticulture and Crop Science,Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center,The Ohio State University,Columbus OH 43210-1086,USA
• Subjects: agronomic trait; breeding; fertilizer; physiology; soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]; 农艺性状; 大豆品种; 播种前; 植物生产力; 生理特性; 肥料效应; 育种计划; 高收获指数; physiology; soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]; fertilizer; agronomic trait; breeding; soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]
• ISSN: 1671-2927
• DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(09)60257-1

Understanding the changes in agronomic and physiological traits associated with yield genetic gain is important for soybean production and future breeding strategy. The objective of this study was to compare the older and modern cultivars to learn whether the yield improvements depend on preplant fertilizer or the plant productivity improvement, A set of older cultivars, with their modern counterparts derived from breeding programs in Liaoning and Ohio were evaluated for their agronomic and physiological traits under different fertilizer levels from 2004 to 2006. There was no improvement of response to N and P preplant fertilizer for genotypes. After more than 70 yr breeding, soybean breeders made some improvements in agronomic and physiological traits that contribute to yield increase. When compared to older cultivar, modern Liaoning and Ohio cultivars were shorter and more resistance to lodging, had greater leaf density, higher harvest index, more leaf area per plant, and greater photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance at the beginning of seed development. Ohio cultivars were more resistant to lodging as if selected for easy harvest by combine, even under high N and P preplant fertilizer level, which resulted in Ohio cultivars with higher and stable yield productivity.