Clemson University make progress on developing heat-tolerant soybeans

In South Carolina, soybean is one of the top cash crops grown in South Carolina and some Clemson University researchers have helped discover an “important milestone” in developing heat-tolerant soybeans.

A paper about their study, Comparative Lipidomic Analysis Reveals Heat Stress Responses of Two Soybean Genotypes Differing in Temperature Sensitivity, appears in the April 4 edition of the Plants journal.

During the study, the researchers investigated whether lipid metabolic changes contribute to differences in heat stress responses in a heat-tolerant soybean variety and a heat-susceptible soybean variety. The heat-susceptible variety was developed for the ESPS in Mississippi.

The researchers wanted to determine what changes take place in soybean leaves when subjected to high temperatures. They found a decline in fats that are undesirable for biodiesel and cooking oil as they reduce stability and keeping quality. On the other hand, high-fat soybeans have added value, primarily due to health benefits.