ARS | Publication request: Nectar Composition of Wild Perennial Glycine (Soybean) Species

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: April 25, 2002
Publication Date: May 28, 2002
Citation: PALMER, R.G., WESTIN, E., SCOTT, M.P., HORNER, H.T., BROWN, A. NECTAR COMPOSITION OF WILD PERENNIAL GLYCINE (SOYBEAN) SPECIES. MEETING ABSTRACT. 2002. Abstract p. 12.

Technical Abstract: The genus Glycine contains the cultivated annual soybean G. max, the wild annual, G. soja, and about 21 wild perennial Glycine species. The perennials are largely indigenous to Australia, but are found in Papua New Guinea, Timor, Philippines, Japan and Taiwan. Outcrossing rates in the cultivated species are usually less than 1%. In the wild annual species, estimates are from 2% to 19%. Within the perennial species G. argyrea, outcrossing rates among chasmogamous flowers were zero to complete outcrossing, with an average of 40%. Our objective was to determine nectar composition (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) and free amino acids from flowers of glasshouse-grown perennial soybean plants. Sugar ratios were the most meaningful for comparative purposes. Variation among species was most noticeable for sucrose, from 50% to 90%, with the glucose:fructose ratio relatively constant. The G. albicans and G. lactovirens accessions had similar glucose:fructose:sucrose ratios and are closely aligned based upon molecular data. A similar situation was evident for G. curvata and G. cyrtoloba. The information gained from the floral nectar composition of the perennials will guide research for nectar composition-outcrossing associations in the cultivated species. We will apply information to select male and female parents in the cultivated species to use in hybridization studies to obtain large quantities of F1 hybrid seed. Cross-pollination by insects will be the preferred manner to produce hybrid seeds commercially.