Qualitative variabilities among different soybean ( <i>Glycine max</i> (L.) <i>Merrill</i> ) varieties

Soybean is one of the world’s most economically important crops, and in Ethiopia, it plays a vital role in enhancing food security, supporting industrial processing and contributing to export markets. The results for total amino acids, total essential amino acids and total non-essential amino acids in the released varieties ranged from 32.77 to 35.80%, 13.07 to 14.26% and 19.70 to 21.65%, respectively. Similarly, the total fatty acid content, along with saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids, ranged from 19.22 to 22.39, 3.37 to 3.99, 4.26 to 6.52 and 9.92 to 14.02 mg/100 g respectively. Based on the soymilk and tofu yield, and their nutritional content, the varieties demonstrated significant promise. The principal component analysis revealed distinct patterns in the proximate, amino acid and fatty acid compositions of soybean varieties, highlighting key relationships and trade-offs between components. This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of soybean composition variability, aiding in selecting varieties with specific nutritional properties for diverse applications.