Tocopherol Profile Variations of Soybean World Mini-Core Collection Accessions Grown in Hokkaido.

Tocopherols (vitamin E) are lipid-soluble antioxidants, with α-tocopherol having the highest vitamin E activity. Soybean seed is a major source of tocopherols. Therefore, improving seed tocopherol content is a key breeding objective. Thirty-eight accessions from the soybean world mini-core collection were evaluated in 2019 and 2022 growing seasons. Four accessions carried a high α-tocopherol associated allele at S09_44341929 but they did not reach the high α-tocopherol levels of cultivar KAS, likely due to cooler seed-filling conditions. Moshido Gong 502 and 503 showed low total tocopherol content in both seasons, making them promising resources for investigating genetic regulation of tocopherol biosynthesis.