[Agronomic, nutritional and processing characteristics of soybean germ plasm with colored seed coats]

Ten soybean varieties with colored seed coats were evaluated in Jaboticabal, with the objective of obtaining information as to color preference in the direct use of soybeans in human consumption. The above-mentioned material showed good adaptation to the local environmental conditions: plant cycles were smaller than the Santa Rosa (121 days), varying from 107 to 119 days, in spite of the fact that some varieties started blooming later than Santa Rosa. All materials are within the minimum standards for local planting; however, some of them showed a lodging problem, and all varieties are susceptible to bacterial pustule. They have smaller seeds than Santa Rosa, and in relation to yield, varieties as the NC-55, Aksarben 1S (Black), Aksarben 1S (Brown) and Chi kei 13 did not statistically differ from the Santa Rosa. Protein content showed a variability of 37.90 to 43.90% and oil varied from 14.72 to 21.34%. Methionine content was between the known limits (0.907 to 1.644 g/16 g N), but lysine was higher than any reported data (7.584, to 10.877 g/16g N). The Tanner, Chi kei 13 and Chi kei 15 presented a high percentage of hard beans. This fact had a positive influence on the seed hydration characteristics, but their experimental cooking times were very low, varying from 51 and-a-half to 122 minutes. The term "hydration time" is being introduced here, which is defined as the time, in hours, required for a seed to double up its weight when submerged in water.