2021
Molecular Adaptataions to Drought in Soybeans
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Contributor/Checkoff:
New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Data analysisData Management
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Troy Wood , Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of University at Buffalo
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
SYBN 21 008
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association
$13,747
Institution Funded:
Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of University at Buffalo
$13,747
Brief Project Summary:

Metabolomics is used to determine how an abiotic stress impacts that actual chemical composition of a plant. The number of chemical metabolites in an organism is far smaller than the number of proteins or genes, and many metabolites are characteristic of multiple biochemical pathways. Metabolomics studies of plants in a non-targeted approach allows scientists to observe how a plant responds to an environmentally-induced stress. Two different analytical instrument platforms have emerged to probe the chemical fingerprints found within the metabolome: nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). NMR is a nondestructive technique, so the sample can be analyzed...

Unique Keywords:
#analytical standards & measurements
Information And Results
Project Deliverables

From the soybean metabolite catalog already compiled, identify which potential biological pathways through which soybeans might confer drought tolerance, and establish whether the stage of leaf development has any bearing on how drought tolerance is conferred at the molecular level.

Final Project Results

Updated January 27, 2022:

View uploaded report PDF file

This project demonstrated that two different cultivars of soybean tailored as drought-susceptible and drought-tolerant adapt to the drought condition using two very different methods at the molecular level. Statistically significant increases within chlorophyll content in control conditions were detected, and an expanded photosynthetic antenna within the
drought affected treatment condition could account for increased photosynthetic content, despite limited-maximum transpiration rates in the drought tolerant cultivar. Interestingly in the drought susceptible cultivar, increased levels of metabolites used to produce the cuticular wax coating on the leaf surfaces was observed, suggesting the primary mechanism by which the drought susceptible cultivar adapts to drought is by increasing the amount of wax to limit evaporation of moisture from the leaf itself.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.