Soybean Lines Lacking the 120,000-Dalton Seed Lectin

Abstract

Seeds of 102 lines of Glycine max (L.) Merr., the soybean, were screened quantitatively for the presence of the 120,000-dalton soybean lectin. Wide variation in the content of this lectin was noted, and five lines of soybean whose seed totally lacked the lectin were identified. Roots of all five lines were effectively nodulated by several strains of Rhizobium japonicum, thus indicating that the 120,000-dalton soybean seed lectin is probably not required for the initiation of soybean-Rhizobium symbiosis.