Identification of QTLs and Key Genes Enhancing Lodging Resistance in Soybean Through Chemical and Physical Trait Analysis
Wanying Zhao,
Depeng Zeng,
Caitong Zhao,
Dezhi Han,
Shuo Li,
Mingxing Wen,
Xuefeng Liang,
Xianfeng Zhang,
Zhihua Liu,
Shahid Ali,
Zhenfeng Jiang
Affiliations
Wanying Zhao
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Depeng Zeng
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Caitong Zhao
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Dezhi Han
Heihe Branch of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Heihe 164300, China
Shuo Li
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Mingxing Wen
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Xuefeng Liang
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Xianfeng Zhang
The Training Center of the Undergraduate, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Zhihua Liu
College of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Shahid Ali
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment and Agro-Products Safety, Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Physiology, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Zhenfeng Jiang
Key Laboratory of Soybean Biology in Chinese Ministry of Education, College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Lodging of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril.) significantly reduces seed yield and quality, particularly in high-yielding environments. This phenomenon occurs when stems weaken under the weight of the plants, complicating harvesting. This study investigated the relationship between soybean stem chemical composition, physical traits, and lodging resistance to improve yield and resilience. We found that as plant density increased, stem hardness decreased, and the elasticity increased, heightening the risk of lodging. Conversely, high temperature (28 °C) boosted lignin, cellulose and pectin content in the stem cell walls, enhancing the lodging resistance. Additionally, after excluding differences in phylogenetic relationships through cluster analysis, we mapped environment-stable genes linked to lodging resistance and identified new QTLs on Chr3 and Chr16. Candidate genes associated with these QTLs were confirmed using qRT–PCR and hormone treatments across diverse soybean varieties. It was found that the expression of stem tip genes was closely related to stem node diameter. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for breeding high-yielding soybean varieties with improved lodging resistance, and advance efforts to develop resilient soybean cultivars.
