Evaluation of genetic diversity in Korean soybean landraces by protein banding patterns using high-throughput screening

The agronomic performance and storage protein patterns of 722 soybean landraces collected from eight geographically different Korean locations were investigated. The days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, and 100-seed weight ranged from 68.9 to 71.9 (d), 140.1 to 146.6 (d), and 22.4 to 26.8 (g), respectively. High-throughput protein profiling electrophoresis was performed, and the banding patterns were analyzed. Among the 722 soybean landraces, lipoxygenase bands were found to be absent in 21 lines. Nei’s gene diversity (h) ranged from 0 to 0.2642, with an average value of 0.1565. The mean coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst) was 0.0944, and the estimated gene flow (Nm) in the population was 4.7971. In a correlation matrix between the agronomic traits and protein banding patterns, the acidic banding pattern was significantly associated with all the other factors. The phenotypic and genotypic differences of the collection areas were evaluated, and the excellent soybean lines with high-value proteins, including 11S globulins, or without antinutritional factors such as lipoxygenase and trypsin inhibitor were selected.