This study was performed to evaluate the growth and nodulation characters of hypernodulating soy-bean mutant, SS2-2, and to know the growth and yield performance of the mutant in infertile soil. Soil fertility was adjusted by mixing the different ratios of soil components including clay, river sand, and horticultural bed, which resulted in fertile and infertile soil. Dry weight, nitrogen concentration, and leaf nitrate reductase of each plant were measured around V6 stage (47 days after planting) and around R3 stage (82 days after planting). There were significant effects of soil fertility and soybean genotype on the total dry weights including root, nodule, stem, leaf, and pod dry weight at V6 and R3 stages. Total dry weight of hypernodulating mutant, SS2-2, was clearly less than that of its wild type, Sinpaldalkong 2. However, nodule development on the roots of SS2-2 was much greater than that of Sinpaldalkong 2, regardless of soil fertility. Though SS2-2 was smaller in plant size than Sinpaldalkong 2, genotypic difference in total nitrogen content was not significant at both V6 and R3 stages because SS2-2 fixed more nitrogen biologically than its wild type in the root nodule. The SS2-2 mutant showed lower plant yield in both infertile and fertile soil. The SS2-2 contained more crude seed protein than Sinpaldalkong 2, and was characterized with reduced top and root growth.

• Bo-Keun Ha
• Suk-Ha Lee