Effect of Water Stress and Foliar Boron Application on Seed Protein, Oil, Fatty Acids, and Nitrogen Metabolism in Soybean

Abstract

Effects of water stress and foliar boron (FB) application on soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr.) seed composition and nitrogen metabolism have not been well investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of water stress and FB on seed protein, oil, fatty acids, nitrate reductase activity (NRA), and nitrogenase activity (NA). A repeated greenhouse experiment was conducted where one set of soybean plants were subjected to water stress (WS), and the other set was watered (W). Foliar boron (B) was applied at rate of 0.45 kg·ha-1. Treatments were watered-plants with no FB (W), watered-plants with FB (WB), water-stress plants with no FB (WS), and water-stress plants with FB (WSB). The results showed that seed protein and oil percentage were significantly (P 15N/ 14N and 13C/12C natural abundance were altered between watered-and watered-stressed plants. These results suggest that water stress and FB can influence seed composition, and nitrogen metabolism, and 15N/14N and 13C/12C ratios, reflecting environmental and metabolic changes in carbon and nitrogen fixation pathways. Lack of B translocation from leaves to seed under water stress may suggest a possible mechanism of limited B translocation under water stress. These findings may be beneficial to breeders to select for B translocation efficiency under drought conditions. Altered 15N/14N and 13C/12C under water stress can be used as a tool to select for drought tolerance using N and C isotopes in the breeding programs.