Effect of Synthetic Cytokinin Application on Pod Setting of Individual Florets within Raceme in Soybean

Abstract

The application of synthetic cytokinin (6-benzylaminopurine, BA) to racemes of soybean genotype IX93-100 at 7 days after anthesis (DAA) enhanced pod-set percentage of the florets at the 5th position and above (numbered from the base on rachis). The endogenous cytokinin (trans-zeatin riboside) content of individual florets was measured at the 1, 3, 5, 7th position every 3 days after anthesis. Cytokinin was detected only from the florets at 9 DAA, and the content was higher in the more proximal florets while it became negligible in the 7th floret. These results suggest that an increase in the amount of cytokinin in individual florets might enhance the pod setting of the florets positioned at the middle or distal part within the raceme.

Keywords

• Cytokinin application
• Endogenous cytokinin
• Pod setting
• Soybean