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Effects of Seed Size on Seedling Performance in Soybeans. I. Seedling Growth and Respiration in the Dark¹

Growth and respiratory rates were compared in four cultivars and in four seed sizes of soybeans. The larger seed produced larger embryos, although the relative rate of dry matter accumulation did not vary appreciably. The percentage of cotyledonary dry weight loss was inversely related to seed size. However, the ratio of embryo growth to cotyledonary loss was not significantly different between sizes. The large seed exhibited a higher respiratory rate both in the cotyledons and in the root-shoot axis, although these differences were not obvious until after 3 days of growth. Total embryo length at 7 days was optimum at an intermediate size, while the shoot growth increased with decreasing size at the expense of radical growth.

Key Words: Metabolism • Legumes • Germination

² Assistant professor, graduate assistant, and graduate assistant, respectively. Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010.

Received for publication September 16, 1970.