Chemical compounds related to nutraceutical and industrial qualities of non-transgenic soybean genotypes.

BACKGROUND: Information about the chemical profile of soybean seed is valuable for breeding programs aimed at obtaining value-added products to meet the demands of niche markets. The objective of this study was to determine seed composition of non-transgenic soybean genotypes with specialty characters in different environments of Argentina. RESULTS: Protein and oil contents ranged from 396 to 424 g kg⁻¹ and from 210 to 226 g kg⁻¹, respectively. Oleic and linolenic acid ratio, the general indicator of oil quality, varied from 2.7 to 3.8. The oil contained high levels of total tocopherols (1429-1558 mg kg⁻¹) and the meal exhibited high levels of total isoflavones (2.91-4.62 mg g⁻¹). The biplot showed that oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, γ-, δ- and total tocopherols, genistin, malonyl daidzin and genistin, acetyl daidzin and glycitin and total isoflavones allowed the greatest discrimination among the genotypes studied. CONCLUSION: Different chemical profiles of each non-transgenic genotype analyzed were established and, therefore, their identity was defined. These results are important for breeders who intend to obtain new genotypes with improved meal and oil quality, as well as for processors and exporters, who could use them directly as raw material for soyfood processing for nutraceutical purposes.

Oil quality and sugar content of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) grown in Argentina: their relationship with climatic variables and seed yield.

The ratio of oleic to linoleic acids (O/L) and the tocopherol content are important features in determining peanut (Arachis hypogaea) seed shelf life. Soluble carbohydrates are known to be important precursors in roasted peanut flavor. The chemical qualities of Argentine grain are different from those of other countries, but no previous studies that associate grain quality and environmental parameters have been performed. Relationships were determined between O/L, tocopherol and sugar contents, and variations in temperature and rainfall during the grain filling period of Florman INTA peanuts. Dry seed yield was used as another explanatory variable. Multiple regression procedure gave mean temperature (positive coefficient) and total precipitation (negative coefficient) as the explanatory variables for variations in O/L. Total precipitation and dry seed yield (both negative coefficients) were found to be predictor variables for tocopherol and sugar contents. Total precipitation was an explanatory variable included in all of the linear regression models obtained in this study.