Variation of Tocopherol Composition and Morphology in Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] Germplasms

In order to get information on tocopherol content and composition in fifty-six soybean germplasms were evaluated by HPLC. From the principle component analysis, the first three components accounted for 71.6% of the total variance of tocopherol content in the germplasms. Principal component 1 showed significant correlations with all the morphological markers except 100-seed weight. Soybean germplasms were divided into three groups by the first two principal components. The highest content of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol was $38.6{\mu}g$ per g in Tanner, while that of ${\gamma}$-tocopherol was $195.6{\mu}g$ in PI 91073. In case of ${\delta}$-tocopherol, IT 105622 showed the highest value as $29.8{\mu}g$. The contents of tocopherol were gradually increased from the late August to late September, which was 10 days before maturity, in Alchankong and PI 96322. The tocopherol content was higher in seeds from the plants sown early than those sown late. Total tocopherol contents of PI 96188, Geomjeongkong 2, and Suwon 183 grown in Gimje were higher than those grown in Iksan, but the difference was not observed in PI 96322. These results suggest that the contents of tocopherol in soybean were affected not only by the genotypes but also by environment.