A Preliminary Study on Contents of Soluble Sugars and Starch in Soybeans

Soluble sugars and starch are important components in soybeans. They vary according to the genetic variation of the plants, and therefore, are of interest for breeding considerations. In this study, 154 soybean germplasms were collected for determination of the contents of soluble sugars and starch in the beans using the phenol-sulfuric acid method. The genetic variation on soluble sugars was found to be 51.16%, and that on starch, 50.66%. The mean contents of soluble sugars and starch were 5.06% and 6.53%, respectively. Based on the difference in phenotype, 8 germplasms were identified to have a soluble sugar content higher than 10%, and 12, a starch content greater than 12%.