Isoflavone contents in soybean seeds are affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Correlation analysis between these factors and isoflavone contents are considered as valuable inputs when breeding improved soybean cultivars. In this study, the seeds of 49 soybean accessions grown in Korea were grouped as black, yellow, green, yellowish-green, pale yellow, and green with a black spot based on their seed coat colors. The contents of 12 isoflavones were analyzed and the association between isoflavone content and seed coat color was determined. The accessions were also grouped as early, intermediate, and late-maturing based on their days to maturity. Out of the 12 isoflavones, 11 were found in 2 accessions, 9 in 18 accessions, 8 in 11 accessions, 7 in another 11 accessions, and 6 in 7 accessions. The total isoflavone content (TIC) in black, yellow, green, yellowish-green, pale yellow, and green with black spot soybeans was in the ranges 2.110 ~ 5.777, 2.487 ~ 4.733, 2.185 ~ 4.413, 2.681 ~ 4.065, 1.827 ~ 4.085, and 3.376 ~ 4.133 ㎎/g, respectively. The average TIC was highest in green with black spot soybeans (3.616 ㎎/g), and lowest in pale yellow soybeans (2.875 ㎎/g). Besides, the average TIC was lowest in early maturing accessions compared to late- and intermediate-maturing accessions. TIC was strongly correlated to malonylgenistin (r = 0.91) and malonyldaidzin (r = 0.78) contents, and poorly correlated to glycitein (r = 0.04) and malonylglycitin (r = 0.18) contents. Also, days to maturity showed strong correlation with malonylgenistin (r = 0.47) content and TIC (r = 0.38). The principal component analysis outlined accessions with high TIC and diverse isoflavones along the first and second components, respectively. The results of the present study depicted that green soybeans with a black spot could be sources of high TIC. Furthermore, late-maturing accessions with diverse isoflavones in their seeds could be useful in future agricultural systems in Korea.

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is an important legume species that produces seeds that are rich in phenolic compounds and dietary nutrients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the agricultural characters, phenolic and nutritional contents, and antioxidant capacities of seeds from 82 pigeon pea germplasms cultivated in the Republic of Korea. The accessions exhibited compact (24.39%), semi-spreading (74.39%), or spreading (1.22%) growth habits and determinate (89.02%), indeterminate (8.54%), or semi-determinate (2.44%) flowering patterns. Days to 75% maturity ranged from 30 to 72 d, and yield per plant ranged from 6.00 to 148.60 g. Meanwhile, total phenolic, crude protein, crude fiber, and dietary fiber contents ranged from 16.42 ± 0.62 to 29.67 ± 0.43 ㎎ gallic acid equivalent per g of dried extract, from 16.76 ± 6.74% to 22.61 ± 0.05%, from 4.70 ± 0.24 to 8.63 ± 0.02%, and from 12.98 ± 0.71 to 33.19 ± 1.50%, respectively. In addition, DPPH radical-scavenging capacity ranged from 1.61 ± 0.10 to 16.04 ± 2.30 ㎎ ascorbic acid equivalent per g of dried extract, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity ranged from 3.03 ± 0.86 to 42.24 ± 0.72 ㎎ Trolox equivalent per g of dried extract. Phenolic content was correlated with both DPPH radical-scavenging capacity (r = 0.63) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (r = 0.29). Nine accessions (IT170290, IT170291, IT170270, IT170276, IT170379, IT170386, IT170388, IT170418, and IT170340) exhibited early maturity, compact and erect growth habits, and above average antioxidant activities and phenolic and protein contents. In addition, accessions IT170290 and IT170291 were especially promising pigeon pea germplasms to grow, owing to various favorable characteristics (e.g., high yield and dietary fiber content). Hence, these accessions could be useful cultivars to the Republic of Korea if considered in future agricultural systems.