The relationship between seed-filling period and seed yield in selected soybean germplasm accessions

The objective of this research was to determine if selection among unadapted germplasm accessions for duration of seed fill would identify differences in seed yield. Fourteen accessions in each of maturity groups II and III were tested with seven selected for short and seven for long duration of seed fill. The experiment was conducted over two years with three replications per year. Time of flowering and maturity, an estimate of seed-filling period (SFP), and seed yield were noted for each plot. Seed yield was significantly different between SFP categories for both maturity groups with the long SFP category having higher seed yields. Early flowering was associated with long SFP's but also with long delays between flowering and the beginning of seed fill.