Performance of Related Indeterminate and Tall Determinate Soybean Lines in Short‐Season Areas

Determinate growth habit ( dt 1 dt 1 ) is useful in reducing plant height and lodging but can result in excessive dwarfing in early‐maturing soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] lines. When the genotype E 1 E 1 e 3 e 3 e 4 e 4 is combined with dt l dt 1 , the result is nondwarf, early‐maturing determinate soybean lines (tall determinate). This study was conducted to compare the agronomic characteristics of Maturity Group 0 and I, tall determinate and indeterminate breeding lines. Thirty‐five pairs of lines with contrasting growth habit, with each pair of similar maturity and from the same cross, were selected from 16 populations and evaluated in three environments. Tall determinate lines significantly outyielded indeterminate lines in two environments, while in the third, there were no differences. The tall determinate lines were shorter, had higher bottom pods, and had decreased 100‐seed weight. Lodging and seed quality were not affected by growth habit. Tall determinate lines flowered later and matured earlier, resulting in a reduced reproductive period. High‐yielding lines of each type were identified. These results suggest that breeding for high‐yielding, tall determinate soybean lines adapted to short‐season areas is possible and that the tall determinate phenotype could prove beneficial because of the height increase of the bottom pods.