Effect of raceme-localized supplemental light on soybean reproductive abscission

Journal Article · · Crop Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6465992

Myers, R L; Brun, W A; Brenner, M L

The percentage of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) reproductive structures that abscise is a potentially important yield factor. To better understand the involvement of light in the abscission of reproductive structures, a series of in vitro raceme-culture and growth-chamber experiments were conducted. In the in vitro raceme-culture experiments, racemes with four to six flowers at or past anthesis were excised from the soybean plant (genotype IX93-100), embedded in a complete nutrient, solid agar medium, and subjected to various light treatments. A series of three experiments indicated that the racemes contain a photoreceptor, possibly phytochrome, capable of regulating sucrose accumulation. In each of the growth chamber studies, supplemental light was supplied directly to individual soybean flowers via fiber optic light guides. The light source increased the photon flux to the flowers by 10-fold. The first growth chamber experiment showed that flowers receiving supplemental light were more intense sinks for /sup 14/C-sucrose than were controls (intensity value of 1.0 vs 0.4 x 10/sup -7/, intensity = (dps of flower/dps of raceme)/(kg dry wt of flower)). In a second study, 42% of flowers treated with supplemental light set pods, while only 26% of control flowers set pods. A third experiment showed that red supplemental light produced 55% fruit set, compared to 41% set for far-red light, and 35% for controls. These experiments indicate that both photoassimilate accumulation and abscission in young soybean reproductive structures may be regulated by light quality.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Minnesota, St. Paul
• OSTI ID: 6465992
• Journal Information: Crop Sci.; (United States), Vol. 27:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
SOYBEANS
PRODUCTIVITY
VISIBLE RADIATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ABSCISIC ACID
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
EXPOSURE CHAMBERS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
SACCHAROSE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
AUXINS
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISACCHARIDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FOOD
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
OLIGOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS
PLANTS
RADIATIONS
SACCHARIDES
SYNTHESIS
VEGETABLES
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550201 - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques