Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) under flooding stress

Sowing time of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) often coincides with the early onset of rainy season. Germinating seeds encounter a transient to prolonged period of water-logging that causes anoxia (absence of oxygen) and hypoxia (insufficient oxygen) resulting in poor germination. This reduces crop stability and yield. One of the factors responsible for flood tolerance is activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) during flood. The effect of ADH activity during flooding and difference in flood tolerance level were investigated using two soybean cultivars, Peking and Tamahomare, and their F9 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Tamahomare showed higher ADH activity than Peking. There was a great variation in ADH activity among the RILs. QTL analysis detected five QTLs for ADH activity (qAas1-5) on five linkage groups, LG_A2, D1a, F, K and L. The QTL qAas4 was close to a QTL for shoot damage and conductivity of germinating seeds after flooding treatment.