~ 1118 ~ The Pharma Innovation Journal 2021; 10(12): 1118-1121 ISSN (E): 2277- 7695 ISSN (P): 2349-8242 NAAS Rating: 5.23 TPI 2021; 10(12): 1118-1121 © 2021 TPI www.thepharmajournal.com Received: 07-10-2021 Accepted: 20-11-2021 Viraj Jadhav Student, STRU, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Avinash Karjule JRA, STRU, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Kailas Gagare ASPO, STRU, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Vijay Shelar Seed Technology Research Unit, M. P. K. V., Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Corresponding Author: Viraj Jadhav Student, STRU, MPKV, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India Seed coat and biochemical screening of soybean genotypes useful for field weathering and mechanical damage tolerance Viraj Jadhav, Avinash Karjule, Kailas Gagare and Vijay Shelar Abstract The soybean genotypes recorded significant variation for seed coat and biochemical parameters. In seed coat characters like seed coat proportion the genotype Birsa Soya 1 recorded highest proportion of seed coat (10.99%) followed by KDS 1274 (10.76%) and was found lowest 8.02% in KDS 1144 followed by KDS 1097 (8.23%). The highest seed coat hardness was recorded in Birsa Soya 1 (137.16 N) followed by KDS 1274 (128 N) and the highest seed coat thickness was recorded in genotype Birsa Soya 1(12.80 μm) and KDS 1274 (12.80 μm). In seed coat biochemical study the highest lignin content was recorded in black seeded genotype Birsa Soya 1(13.88%) followed by KDS 1274 (11.52%). Whereas the significantly lower seed coat lignin content of 4.26% was recorded in genotype KDS 1144 followed by KDS 1096 (4.41%). Highest peroxidase activity was also showed by black seeded genotypes Birsa Soya 1 (440.20ΔA min -1 g -1 ) followed by KDS 1274 (415 ΔA min -1 g -1 ). The lowest seed coat peroxidase activity of 223ΔA min -1 g -1 of fresh seed weight was recorded in genotype KDS 980 followed by RCS- 11-07 (232.86ΔA min -1 g -1 ). It was observed that black seeded genotypes of soybean had higher seed coat proportion, lignin content, Peroxidase activity than that of yellow seeded soybean genotypes. Keywords: Seed coat proportion, Seed coat hardness, Seed coat thickness, Lignin content, Peroxidase activity Introduction Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) soybean is an important commercial crop. It has a high nutrient content, including protein (40%), oil (18-20%), carbohydrates (30%), saponins (0.4%), fibre (0.5%), lecithins (0.5%) and isoflavonoids such as genistein and daidzein. Isoflavones are non-nutritive substances with medicinal benefits (Radhakrishnan, 2009) [18] . It lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes as well as the severity of menopausal symptoms (Chandrawat et al., 2014) [7] . Because of its high protein content, it is known as poor man's meat. Soybean oil is also used for edible purpose. Aside from oil and protein, it has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen with the support of root nodule bacteria and add organic matter to the soil, thereby increasing the fertility of soil. Environmental and physiological factors are affecting the seed quality. High quality seed provides better plant stand which is beneficial for production and expansion of this crop. Lignin is of great interest because its deposition in seed coat tissue not only provides mechanical resistance but also protects the cell from attack of microorganisms. Peroxidase is a major component of cell walls providing rigidity for structural support as well as water impermeability (Campbell and Sederoff, 1996) [4] . Lignin content of seed coat determined by gravimetric method was found to be high in soybean cultivars, with high index of resistance to mechanical damage (Alvarez et al., 1997) [2] . The seed coat of the soybean seed is very thin and low in lignin content, it provides little protection to the vulnerable radicle that lies directly beneath the seed coat of dicot soybean. As a result, mechanical damage is one of the leading causes of significant loss in soybean seed quality during harvest and processing (Franca Neto and Henning, 1984) [8] . Genetic variability in seed resistant to mechanical damage has already been demonstrated among different soybean cultivars (Carbonell and Krzyzanowski, 1995) [6] . Seed coat tissues may accumulate a significant amount of peroxidase in hourglass cells of the sub-epidermis accounting for at least 5% of the protein in dry seed coat (Schmitz et al., 1997) [20] . It has been suggested that peroxidase role is to stiffen the cell wall by forming biphenyl bridges between wall polymers (Fry, 1986) [9] . However study of seed coat lignin and peroxidase with respect to other seed