Date of Planting on Soybean Composition

A one-year study was conducted by Indian researchers to evaluate the influence of date of planting on seed composition. Nine Indian soybean cultivars and three planting dates were involved in the experiment. Results of the one-year study indicated that delayed planting reduced the oil content of the seed. Oleic acid content was increased and linolenic acid was reduced as the date of plant was delayed. Lipoxygenase-1 activity was reduced by delayed plantings. The researchers reported variability in protein and trypsin inhibitor levels for the three planting dates with no significant change with delayed planting. The researchers concluded, based on this limited study, that the planting date effect on seed composition is genotype dependent.

Kumar, V. and co-workers. 2006. Compositional traits of soybean seeds as influenced by planting date in India. Experimental Agriculture 42(1): 19-28.