Response of New Soybean Accessions to Water Stress During Reproductive Phase

Abstract

Two cultivars and eight newly developed Kasetsart University soybean accessions were planted at the similar experiments conducted at Chiang Mai and Kamphang Saen in dry season, 1989. The objectives was to study the effect of reproductive water stress on growth and yield of soybeans. Split plot design with three replications was used in this study. The main plots composed of four water stress treatment i.e. control, early, mid, and late reproductive water deficit, while sub-plots composed of ten soybean varieties. It was found that water deficit lowered the yield and dry matter production of soybeans. Number of pods per plant and seed size were affected by reproductive stress while the number of seeds per pod was not affected. Accessions KUSL 20004, KUSL 20010 and Doi Kham produced the top three highest yields and seemed to be least affected by water deficit treatments.