The Relationship of Protein Content and Size of Bean Seed with Growth and Yield

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Abstract
Phenotypic differences in seed size and protein content were expressed in one cultivar of snap beans by growing them at 2 Michigan locations under 3 N regimes (1969). Each trait was increased by supplemental N applications. Greenhouse studies with ungraded seed of these different phenotypes showed that both seedling size and protein per seedling were positively correlated with seed size and the quantity of protein per seed. When seedlings were grown from small (175 mg) seed and large (275 mg) seed of different protein content there was a correlation between protein content per seed and the size of plants for each size of seed. Field studies in Central and Northern Michigan (1970) supported the greenhouse findings. Seedling size, yield and number of fruit were more highly correlated with protein per seed than with seed size. When the factor of seed size was eliminated by correlating the percent protein with growth or yield, there were significant correlations for all but one of the field parameters. Most importantly there was also, with one exception, a significant increase in seedling size, yield and number of fruit from high protein seeds, obtained by supplemental N applications the previous year. These studies provide both correlative, and cause and effect evidence that within a genotype, seedling vigor and yield are related to the protein content or some factor related to protein in snap bean seed.

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