COMPOSITION AND CONTENT OF SAPONINS IN SOYBEAN SEED ACCORDING TO VARIETY, CULTIVATION YEAR AND MATURITY

There was a remarkable varietal difference in regard to the composition of "group A saponin" in seed hypocotyls of 457 varieties of soybeans. It was observed that the saponin composition in soybean seed was not affected by the difference in the year of cultivation of the seed, but was peculiar to the variety. The content of total saponin in the seed hypocotyl fraction of soybean ranged from 0.62-6.16%. The content of saponin in soybean seed was more greatly dependent on the variety than on the cultivation year. In soybean seeds harvested at different degrees of maturity, the saponin content varied with the maturity of seed, although the nature of this variation was insufficient to exert an influence upon the varietal difference.