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Soybean (Glycine max) plants first emerged in China, and they have since been established as an economically important oil crop and a major source of daily protein for individuals throughout the world. Seed emergence height is the first factor that ensures seedling adaptability to field management practices, and it is closely related to epicotyl length. In the present study, the Suinong 14 and ZYD00006 soybean lines were used as parents to construct chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) for quantitative trait loci (QTL) identification. Seven QTLs were identified using two years of epicotyl length measurement data. The insertion region of the ZYD00006 fragment was identified through whole genome resequencing, with candidate gene screening and validation being performed through RNA-Seq and qPCR, and Glyma.08G142400 was ultimately selected as an epicotyl length-related gene. Through combined analyses of phenotypic data from the study population, Glyma.08G142400 expression was found to be elevated in those varieties exhibiting longer epicotyl length. Haplotype data analyses revealed that epicotyl data were consistent with haplotype typing. In summary, the QTLs found to be associated with the epicotyl length identified herein provide a valuable foundation for future molecular marker-assisted breeding efforts aimed at improving soybean emergence height in the field, with the Glyma.08G142400 gene serving as a regulator of epicotyl length, offering new insight into the mechanisms that govern epicotyl development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Soybean is one of the most economically important crops worldwide and an important source of unsaturated fatty acids and protein for the human diet. Consumer demand for healthy fats and oils is increasing, and the global demand for vegetable oil is expected to double by 2050. Identification of key genes that regulate seed fatty acid content can facilitate molecular breeding of high‐quality soybean varieties with enhanced fatty acid profiles. Here, we analysed the genetic architecture underlying variations in soybean seed fatty acid content using 547 accessions, including mainly landraces and cultivars from northeastern China. Through fatty acid profiling, genome re‐sequencing, population genomics analyses, and GWAS, we identified a SEIPIN homologue at the FA9 locus as an important contributor to seed fatty acid content. Transgenic and multiomics analyses confirmed that FA9 was a key regulator of seed fatty acid content with pleiotropic effects on seed protein and seed size. We identified two major FA9 haplotypes in 1295 resequenced soybean accessions and assessed their phenotypic effects in a field planting of 424 accessions. Soybean accessions carrying FA9H2 had significantly higher total fatty acid contents and lower protein contents than those carrying FA9H1. FA9H2 was absent in wild soybeans but present in 13% of landraces and 26% of cultivars, suggesting that it may have been selected during soybean post‐domestication improvement. FA9 therefore represents a useful genetic resource for molecular breeding of high‐quality soybean varieties with specific seed storage profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean is a major crop that provides essential protein and oil for food and feed. Since its origin in China over 5000 years ago, soybean has spread throughout the world, becoming the second most important vegetable oil crop and the primary source of plant protein for global consumption. From early domestication and artificial selection through hybridization and ultimately molecular breeding, the history of soybean breeding parallels major advances in plant science throughout the centuries. Now, rapid progress in plant omics is ushering in a new era of precision design breeding, exemplified by the engineering of elite soybean varieties with specific oil compositions to meet various end-use targets. The assembly of soybean reference genomes, made possible by the development of genome sequencing technology and bioinformatics over the past 20 years, was a great step forward in soybean research. It facilitated advances in soybean transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, all of which paved the way for an integrated approach to molecular breeding in soybean. In this review, we summarize the latest progress in omics research, highlight novel findings made possible by omics techniques, note current drawbacks and areas for further research, and suggest that an efficient multi-omics approach may accelerate soybean breeding in the future. This review will be of interest not only to soybean breeders but also to researchers interested in the use of cutting-edge omics technologies for crop research and improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean, which originated in China, is an important oil crop. The soybean–rhizobium symbiotic relationship provides soybean plants with abundant nitrogen. The Nod factor, which is an early signalling factor, affects the establishment of this symbiosis. In this study, the generated Sinorhizobium fredii HH103ΩNodB mutant exhibited defective Nod factor synthesis. The nodulation of 30 core collections, including 'Dongnong594' and 'Charleston', by the NodB mutant differed from the nodulation by the wild‐type strain. Soybean recombinant inbred lines derived from a 'Dongnong594' × 'Charleston' cross were used for mapping soybean genes related to the Nod factor signalling pathway. Eleven QTLs related to nodule number and eight QTLs related to nodule dry weight were revealed. On the basis of a qRT‐PCR analysis, Glyma.03G120700, Glyma.08G296000 and Glyma.15G21560 were identified as candidate genes influencing the NF interaction. These genes were differentially expressed following the inoculations with the wild‐type rhizobium and the NodB mutant. This study provides important insights into the mechanism mediating soybean responses to the NF after the soybean–rhizobium symbiosis is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research objects of this paper are Vigna angularis, Vigna radiata and Phaseolus vulgaris, which are important grain legume resources in China. However, the genetic structure between the three species is not clear. Therefore, this study developed a set of universal gSSR (simple sequence repeat) primers based on the whole-genome sequences of adzuki beans, mung beans and common beans and analysed the genetic diversity of the test resources based on universal gSSR loci. A total of 53,099 pairs of universal primers were developed, and 43 universal primer pairs were selected for analysis of their test resources. The genetic diversity of the tested common bean germplasm resources was the largest, and the genetic diversity of the tested mung bean germplasm resources was the smallest. Based on the structural analysis and NJ algorithm, the genetic relationships of the test resources were analysed. When ΔK = 3, 3 and 2, the test resources were divided into 3, 3 and 2 subgroups, respectively. The average genetic differentiation coefficient among the three species was 0.24, and the average gene flow value was 0.78. The genetic distances among the three species ranged from 0.27 to 0.90. The genetic distance between the tested adzuki bean germplasm resources and the tested mung bean germplasm resources was the closest, and the genetic distance between the test adzuki bean germplasm resources and the tested common bean germplasm resources was the farthest. This study provides a scientific basis for the rational development, protection and sustainable use of germplasm resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]