Radiation induced variability of seed storage proteins in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]

Soybean variety VLSoy-2 was irradiated with 250 Gy gamma rays to induce variability. A large number of mutants affecting morphological characters were identified and characterized. True breeding mutants obtained were used for studying the variation in seed storage proteins. The mutants M-231, M-17 and M-291 lacked the A3 subunit of glycinin (11S) protein. Among the three, two mutants M-231 and M-17 were also characterized by the lack of α and α′-subunits of β-conglycinin (7S). In addition, the mutant M-291 also showed low levels of trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) and low levels of α and α′-subunits of 7S protein.