Evaluation of Oil Contents and Fatty Acid Compositions and Selection of Useful Resources in Soybean Germplasm Accessions

This study was carried out to evaluate the oil contents and fatty acid compositions of 379 soybean germplasm accessions which is composed of 128 Korean, 214 Chinese and 37 USA accessions, and to select useful resources for the development of high oil content and quality fatty acid varieties in soybean. Korean and Chinese germplasm accessions were obtained from the National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, and USA accessions from the Plant Genetics and Breeding Laboratory of Kyungpook National University, Korea. The oil content ranges from 12.7 - 26.0% with an average of 19.1% among accessions. The average contents and ranges of palmitic and stearic acid, saturated fatty acids (SFA), were 10.6% with a range of 4.1 - 18.1% and 2.9% with a range of 1.9 - 12.7% respectively, while those of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acid, unsaturated fatty acids (USFA), were 28.2% with a range of 15.3 - 56%, 51.2% with a range of 24.4 - 68% and 7.1% with a range of 3.4 - 11.1% respectively. The average linoleic(omega-6)/linolenic(omega-3) acid ratio was 7.5 ranging from 3.8 - 17, and the average SFA and USFA contents were 13.5% ranging from 6.7 - 21.7% and 86.5% ranging 78.3 - 93.4% respectively. Accessions with better essential properties were selected as useful resources for the development of high oil content and quality fatty acid varieties. Three accessions, Suinong 14, Dongnong 434 and Dongnong 46 from China contain oil higher than 25.0%, while five accessions including KLG 12073 and KLG 12074 from USA, Jilin 14 from China, Kwangan and Bongeui from Korea contain oleic acid higher than 50%. Eight accessions including KLG12083 and KLG12081 from USA contain linoleic acid higher than 60%. Seven accessions including KLG 12093 and KLG12096 from USA contain linolenic acid lower than 4%. Five accessions, KLG12074 and KLG12073 from USA, Kwangan and Bongeui from Korea, and Dongnong 47 from China were low linoleic acid(omega-6)/linolenic(omega-3) ratio resources with lower than 4.5.