Correlations between palmitate content and agronomic traits in soybean populations segregating for the fap1, fapnc, and fan Alleles

Palmitate is the predominant saturated fatty acid in soybean oil. Major fap alleles that reduce, palmitate content in seed oil also reduce seed, yield. Breeders are interested in estimating the genotypic correlation between palmitate, content and agronomic traits to predict unfavorable correlated responses to selection. The main objective of this study was to estimate the genotypic 1 and phenotypic correlations between palmitate and linolenate contents and other traits in three populations segregating for the fap(nc), tap1, and fan alleles and modifier genes. The populations derived from crosses of. high-yielding lines and I improved low-palmitate and low-linolenate lines were grown in replicated trials in three environments. Significant positive genetic correlations between palmitate and yield and between palmitate and plant height were observed in all three populations. Linolenate content was genetically positively correlated with lodging in two populations and negatively correlated with oil content in three populations. Our results support the observation that the major fap(nc) or fap1 or both alleles reduced plant height and had a major negative effect on, yield. These effects could be due to pleiotropy or linkage with unfavorable yield or height genes. The relative importance of pleiotropy and linkage has very different implications for oil quality breeding.