A Study on Petiole Length of Soybeans in Relation to Grain Yield

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine petiole length of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) in relation to grain yield. This would be useful for indirect selection for grain yield increase. A set of near isogenic lines differing in petiole length was developed from two crosses to compare yield and other agronomic traits. The yield trials were conducted at Chiang Mai Field Crops Research Center in dry season. Seeds were sown two times in the first and the fourth week of December 1995. The results showed that there was no significant difference in mean grain yield between these two groups of short and long petiole lines and it had no correlation between grain yield and petiole length. However, grain yield was positively correlated (p<0.01) with total above-ground dry mater. it is possible to select high total above-ground dry matter rather than peitole length in late generations of the segregated population of the progeny as indirect selection for increased grain yield of soybeans.