Mj. Morrison et al., Physiological changes from 58 years of genetic improvement of short-seasonsoybean cultivars in Canada, AGRON J, 91(4), 1999, pp. 685-689
7In Canada, yield of short-season soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar
s has increased by approximately 0.5% per year since they were first cultiv
ated in the early 1930s. Future yield gains may be dependent on an understa
nding of the changes made to soybean cultivars by breeding and selection. O
ur objective was to examine physiological differences associated with seed
yield increase within a group of historical cultivars, At Ottawa, Ontario,
we grew 14 cultivars representing seven decades of breeding and selection (
1934-1992) in a randomized complete block design with four replications, ac
ross 4 years. Growth analysis provided data on leaf area and dry weight. Ph
otosynthetic rate per leaf area was measured at several stages of developme
nt each year. Yield and harvest index were determined at maturity. The numb
er of days to maturity and the total plant dry weight were not affected by
the year of cultivar release. Seed yield, harvest index, and photosynthetic
rate were found to have increased by 0.5% per year, while leaf area index
decreased by 0.4% per year, The increase in seed yield with year of release
was significantly correlated with an increase in harvest index, photosynth
esis, and stomatal conductance and a decrease in leaf area index, Today's c
ultivars are more efficient at producing and allocating carbon resources to
seeds than were their predecessors.