Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Seed Yield and Seed Oil Content as Influenced by Different Environmental Conditions and Genotypes

Soybean yield potential is strongly impacted by environmental conditions. Soybean yield variability could be explained by climatic variables. Choice of tolerant varieties adapted to different limited environmental conditions could be used as adaptive strategies to sustain the development of soybean areas. Three soybean varieties with high seed and oil content (Balkan, Novosađanka and Vojvođanka) were analyzed in three localities of Vojvodina Province in Serbia: Novi Sad (45°20′00″ S; 19°51′00″), Pančevo (44°52′15″ S; 20°38′51″) and Laćarak (44°59′45″ S; 19°34′03″). The highest yield of the three examined soybean varieties was shown by Vojvođanka (3365.0 kg ha-1), whereas the statistically highest yield was in 2010 (4301.1 kg ha-1) in the investigated period (2006-2011). All three varieties gave the lowest seed yield at the Pančevo locality, due to the deficit of precipitation and lower content of humus in the soil. The oil content in the seeds was also influenced by all three examined factors. The soybean varieties Vojvođanka and Balkan had statistically higher oil content than Novosađanka. The agroecological and soil conditions of Novi Sad were the most suitable for the synthesis of oil in the seeds of all genotypes. Oil content was statistically highest in 2010 (22.31%) compared to all tested years. The analysis has shown that Vojvođanka was the most promising of all soybean’s varieties.