Heterosis and combining ability estimates in isoflavone content using different parental soybean accessions: wild soybean, a valuable germplasm for soybean breeding

PLoS One. 2015 Jan 21;10(1):e0114827. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114827. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Isoflavone, a group of secondary metabolites in soybean, is beneficial to human health. Improving isoflavone content in soybean seeds has become one of the most important breeding objectives. However, the narrow genetic base of soybean cultivars hampered crop improvement. Wild soybean is an extraordinarily important gene pool for soybean breeding. In order to select an optimal germplasm for breeding programs to increase isoflavone concentration, 36 F1 soybean progenies from different parental accessions (cultivars, wild, Semi-wild and Interspecific) with various total isoflavone (TIF) concentration (High, Middle, Low) were analyzed for their isoflavone content. Results showed that male parents, except for Cultivars, showed positive GCA effects. In particular, wild soybean had higher positive GCA effects for TIF concentration. Both MP and BP heterosis value declined in the hybrid in which male parents were wild soybean, semi-wild soybean, interspecific offspring and cultivar in turn. In general, combining ability and heterosis in hybrids which had relative higher TIF concentration level parents showed better performance than those which had lower TIF concentration level parents. These results indicated characteristics of isoflavone content were mainly governed by additive type of gene action, and wild relatives could be utilized for breeding of soybean cultivars with this trait. A promising combination was found as the best potential hybrid for isoflavone content improvement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crosses, Genetic*
  • Glycine max / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hybrid Vigor / physiology*
  • Plant Breeding*

Grants and funding

This work is a part of a project financed by Special Financial Grant from China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2014T70373); 54-class General Financial Grant from China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2013M541422); Department of Science and Technology of Heilongjiang Province (LC2011C30); Haerbin Science and Technology Bureau (2011RFLYN019); Young Foundation major project of HAAS (2012ZD031); Department of Human Resource of Heilongjiang Province (2012–134); Conservation and utilization of wild plant resources in agriculture, China Ministry of Agriculture (201003021); and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31101171). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.