Physiological Response of Soybean Genotypes to Water Limiting Conditions

Abstract

This article has been retracted by the editor of the African Crop Science Journal.

Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is the most important source of protein as well as vegetable oil world wide. It suffers variously from water shortage at all stages of growth. This study was conducted to explore the physiological responses of soybean genotypes to water limiting conditions. Seven days old seedlings of C01, C08, C27, W01, W06 and W08 drought-sensitive, and C12 and W05 drought-tolerant genotypes used in the study were transplanted in Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes, filled with a soil mixture. Fifty percent of the plants were left unwatered when the second trifoliate leaves were halfway to growth. The rest (50%) were watered daily and considered as the control. Results showed that as soil water content diminished, plant stem elongation, stomatal conductance, relative water content (%RWC), water potential, osmotic potential and turgor pressure of stressed plants declined in all genotypes. The declining trends of those parameters were significantly different, to a great extent, in the drought tolerant genotypes, from the susceptible ones. 

Key Words: Glycine max, stomatal conductance