Journal of Plant Studies; Vol. 8, No. 2; 2019 ISSN 1927-0461 E-ISSN 1927-047X Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 39 Resistance and Correlation of Pod Shattering and Selected Agronomic Traits in Soybeans Richard Katembo Kataliko 1, 2 , Paul M. Kimani 2 , James W. Muthomi 2 , Wothaya S. Wanderi 3 , Florence M. Olubayo 2 & Felister M. Nzuve 2 1 Faculty of agricultural sciences, Université Catholique du Graben (UCG), Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo 2 Department of Plant Science and Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya 3 Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization, KALRO-Embu Research Center, Kenya Correspondence: Richard Katembo Kataliko, Faculty of agricultural sciences, Université Catholique du Graben (UCG), P.O. BOX 29 Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo. Tel: 243-994-528-722. E-mail: richardkataliko23@gmail.com Received: November 22, 2018 Accepted: December 7, 2018 Online Published: August 15, 2019 doi:10.5539/jps.v8n2p39 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/jps.v8n2p39 Abstract Pod shattering is a serious production constraint that causes 34 to 99% seed losses in soybean. Identification, development and utilization of varieties with resistance to pod shattering can reduce yield losses. However, there is limited information on genetic variability of this trait in local germplasm. Twenty soybean genotypes were evaluated at KALRO-Embu and KALRO-Mwea Research Centers, in Eastern and Central highlands of Kenya during the 2016 short and long rain seasons in an alpha lattice design arranged in a 4 x 5 pattern with three replicates. Data was collected on maturity, plant height, biomass, number of seeds per pod, pod shattering and grain yield and analyzed using Genstat software (15 th edition). Pearson’s correlation estimates for pod shattering and agronomic traits was done using Statistix-8 statistical package. Results showed significant interactions between genotypes, sites and seasons for days to maturity, plant biomass and pod shattering. Seasonal and location effects were significant for all the traits measured except for plant height, grain yield and pod shattering. Genotype effects showed significances for all the traits. Results showed 17.87% of soybean pod shattering in Embu and 17.41% in Mwea; 16.58% during the long rains and 18.77% during the short rains. Based on their scores, ten genotypes were classified as resistant, seven as moderately resistant, one as moderately susceptible and two as highly susceptible. Genotypes SB-8 followed by Gazelle, SB-74, SB-4, Nyala and SB-20 were the most resistant. SB-93 and SB-25 were the most susceptible genotypes. Three varieties (931/5/34, 915/5/12 and SB-154) performed well with grain yields of up to 1800 kg ha -1 . The study found that pod shattering resistance was negatively correlated with number of seeds per pod (r=-0.13*). Plant with few seeds per pod tended to have high resistance to pod shattering. The resistant genotypes can be utilized for production and in effective breeding programs. Keywords: correlation, pod shattering, resistance and soybean 1. Introduction With losses of up to 100% of seed, pod shattering has been recognized as the most important constraint to soybean production under tropic and sub-tropic regions (IITA, 1992; Adeyeye et al., 2014). Most of the varieties in the tropics are direct introductions from other regions where soybean has been grown for decades. However, resistant varieties introduced from other parts of the world often succumb to pod shattering in the tropics (Tukamuhabwa, 2000) probably due to differences in environment conditions, and genotype x environment interactions. Thus multi-season and multi-location evaluation of pod shattering is a pre-requisite to the identification of resistant genotypes which can fast tracked for production in the short-term and deployed for long-term use in breeding programs. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1 Experimental Sites Field experiments were conducted at Embu and Mwea research stations from May 2016 to April 2017. Their