Seed size and composition are important traits in food crops and can be affected by nutrient availability in the soil. Phosphorus (P) is a non-renewable, essential macronutrient, and P deficiency limits soybean (Glycine max) yield and quality. To investigate the associations of seed traits in low- and high-P environments, soybean recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from a cross of cultivars Fiskeby III and Mandarin (Ottawa) were grown under contrasting P availability environments. Traits including individual seed weight, seed number, and intact mature pod weight were significantly affected by soil P levels and showed transgressive segregation among the RILs. Surprisingly, P treatments did not affect seed composition or weight, suggesting that soybean maintains sufficient P in seeds even in low-P soil. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected for seed weight, intact pods, seed volume, and seed protein, with five significant QTLs identified in low-P environments and one significant QTL found in the optimal-P environment. Broad-sense heritability estimates were 0.78 (individual seed weight), 0.90 (seed protein), 0.34 (seed oil), and 0.98 (seed number). The QTLs identified under low P point to genetic regions that may be useful to improve soybean performance under limiting P conditions.

The aim of the present study was to analyze the alterations in the, antioxidant enzyme activities (such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and level of glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) of wheat acutely treated with CP and DM treatments at low, high doses and their combination. CP and DM were administered to wheat in different doses of 1, 1.5, 5 and 35 mg kg -1 given alone and combination. After 3 weeks, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the level of GSH and LPO were recorded and analyzed. Antioxidative defense mechanisms and LPO in wheat display different responses depending on different pesticide treatments and doses. Biochemical analysis showed that exposure of the CP and DM cause plant tissue damage. It is suggested that appropriate ecotoxicological risk assessment should be made in the areas where DM is proposed to be used in pest control when compared to CP. In the present study, we also concluded that the effect of the combined of CP and DM on the oxidative stress may be synergistic.