The Effects of Seed Size on the Early Seedling Growth and Yield of Three Soybean(Glycine max. L.) Cultivars

대두종자(大豆種子)의 대소(大小)가 초기생육(初期生育) 및 수량(收量)에 미치는 영향(影響)

In order to find the effects of seed size on the early seedling growth and yield of soybean, three soybean cultivars in Korea were investigated. Seed size was classified into large and small according to the weight and planted in pots(1/5000a) and in the field. Three soybean cultivars respresenting large, medium and small grains were Hwangkeum-kong, Kwangkyo and Bangsa-kong respectively. These cultivars were planted on June 20, 1987. 1. The plant height, stem diameter, root length and leaf area index(LAI) of the seed with large size seemed larger than the seed with small size regardless of cultivars. 2. The fresh and dry weight were different depending upon the grain sizes. The large grain had heavier fresh and dry weight than the small grains. 3. The protein consumption rate of the cotyledon of Bangsa-kong with small grain size was faster than the Hwangkeum-kong with large grain size. 4. The stem length, stem diameter and number of main stem node of the seed with large size seemed larger than the seed with small size. Large grains of Hwangkeum-kong were the highest in the number of branch node and number of node. 5. The number of pods and grains per plant of Bangsa-kong with small grain size was larger than the Kwangkyo with large grain size. 6. The yield per 10a for Hwangkeum-kong, Hwangkyo and Bangsa-kong were 226.3kg, 193.0kg and 192.8kg, respectively and they were all statistically different. The yield increases of large grains over small grains in the Hwangkeum-kong, Kwangkyo, and Bangsa-kong were 7.4%, 8.0% and 9.2%, respectively.