Mineral contents of soybean seed coats and embryos during development1

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Abstract
Little is known about mineral metabolism in legume seeds during development and maturation. This study examines the distribution of Mg, Ca, Cu, Fe, Zn and Mn between seed coat and embryo in five soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) cultivars during seed development. Levels of Mg and Fe in seed coat and embryo varied with reproductive growth stage, but in no consistent manner across the various cultivars. Seed coat Ca and Zn levels initially decreased, then rose in the final stages, while embryonic levels decreased or remained constant. Cu and Mn contents of seed coats initially increased, then dropped — accompanied by an increase of these minerals in the embryo. These findings suggest that cationic metals are not passively assimilated in conjunction with dry matter accumulation, but rather are subject to ion‐specific seed coat unloading, transport, and cotyledonary uptake processes.