Genomics and Applied Biology 2024, Vol.15, No.6, 296-306 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/gab 296 Review and Progress Open Access Physiological Responses and Variety Screening for Drought Tolerance in Soybeans During Flowering and Podding Lei Wang, Yue Guo, Xingdong Yao, Mengdi Yang, Ruiquan Song, Haiying Wang College of Agronomy, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, 110866, Liaoning, China Corresponding author: wanghy99@syau.edu.cn Genomics and Applied Biology, 2024, Vol.15, No.6 doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0032 Received: 17 Oct., 2024 Accepted: 20 Nov., 2024 Published: 02 Dec., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Wang et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang L., Guo Y., Yao X.D., Yang M.D., Song R.Q., Wang H.Y., 2024, Physiological responses and variety screening for drought tolerance in soybeans during flowering and podding, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(6): 296-306 (doi: 10.5376/gab.2024.15.0032) Abstract Drought tolerance is crucial for soybean cultivation due to its significant impact on crop yield and sustainability. This study aims to synthesize current research on the physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of soybean to drought stress, with a focus on identifying traits and mechanisms that confer drought tolerance. The study examines the physiological responses to drought during the flowering and podding stages, including water relations, osmotic adjustment, stomatal conductance, transpiration, photosynthetic activity, and reproductive development. It also explores biochemical and molecular responses, highlighting antioxidant defense mechanisms, hormonal regulation, and gene expression related to drought tolerance. Furthermore, various screening methods for drought-tolerant varieties are discussed, encompassing field and controlled environment techniques, as well as the use of physiological and biochemical markers. Case studies of successful breeding programs and notable drought-tolerant soybean varieties are presented, alongside traditional and modern breeding strategies. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the strategies employed by soybean plants to cope with drought stress, offering valuable insights for future research and breeding efforts aimed at enhancing drought tolerance in soybean. The findings are expected to inform breeding programs and contribute to the development of drought-resilient cultivars, thereby improving soybean production and food security. Keywords Drought tolerance; Soybean; Physiological responses; Biochemical markers; Breeding strategies 1 Introduction Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a critical crop globally, providing essential protein and oil for human consumption and animal feed. However, its production is significantly hampered by drought stress, which is one of the most severe abiotic factors affecting crop yield and quality. Drought stress during the flowering and podding stages is particularly detrimental, leading to substantial reductions in seed yield and quality (Moloi and Merwe, 2021; Wang et al., 2022; Fatema et al., 2023). The ability of soybean plants to withstand drought conditions is therefore of paramount importance for ensuring food security and agricultural sustainability, especially in the face of climate change and increasing water scarcity (Dubey et al., 2019; Wang et al., 2022a). Drought tolerance in soybeans involves a complex interplay of morphological, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms. These include maintaining water uptake and retention, enhancing root growth, adjusting osmotic balance, and activating antioxidant defenses to mitigate oxidative damage (Buezo et al., 2018; Wang et al., 2022b; Fatema et al., 2023). Identifying and developing drought-tolerant soybean varieties is crucial for stabilizing yields under water-limited conditions and for expanding soybean cultivation into arid and semi-arid regions (Arya et al., 2021; Wang et al., 2022). The study is to evaluate the physiological responses and screen various soybean varieties for drought tolerance during the critical flowering and podding stages. This study aims to synthesize current research findings on the morpho-physiological and biochemical adaptations of soybean to drought stress, highlighting the key traits and mechanisms that confer drought tolerance. Specifically, this study will examine the impact of drought stress on soybean growth, photosynthesis, and yield components. It will identify physiological and biochemical markers associated with drought tolerance in soybean and evaluate the performance of different soybean genotypes under drought conditions to identify potential drought-tolerant varieties. Furthermore, this study will discuss the
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