High stearic acid soybean mutant induced by X-ray irradiation

Seeds of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. var. Bay] were subjected to X-ray irradiation (21.4 kR), and the M2 generation was evaluated for the stearic acid content in the seed oil. Treatment with X-ray irradiation significantly increased genetic variability in the stearic acid content of the oil from Bay variety in comparison with the control plants. Among the 2513 M2 plants tested, one mutant named M25 was selected for its stearic acid content of 20.8%, about seven-fold higher than that of the original variety. An inverse relationship of stearic acid with oleic and linoleic acids was observed. Mutant M25 always had higher stearic acid content under different environmental conditions in the M3 generation