Treatment-induced metabolic shifts of soybean seeds through amino acid–zinc biofortification enhances oil quality and micronutrient density


Qureshi M., SÖNMEZ İ., GÜDEN B., Kordrostami M., Shakoor A., Kiemde O., ...Daha Fazla

BMC Plant Biology, cilt.26, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 26 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1186/s12870-026-08751-z
  • Dergi Adı: BMC Plant Biology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Agronomic biofortification, Amino acid biostimulants, Compositional data analysis (CoDA), Soybean oil quality, Zinc supplementation
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background: Agronomic biofortification offers a practical approach to enhancing the nutritional and functional quality of soybeans (Glycine max L.); however, the combined metabolic effects of zinc (Zn) and amino acids (AAs) on seed composition remain poorly understood. This two-year field study assessed 16 AA × Zn foliar treatment combinations using an integrated analytical approach that includes mineral enrichment, oil content and yield, detailed fatty acid compositional data, lipid-quality indices, multivariate statistics, network modeling, and multi-criteria decision analysis. Results: Combined application of amino acids and zinc significantly increased key nutrients—while maintaining stable levels of calcium and magnesium. Oil content increased by up to 15% and extracted oil mass increased by up to 13% with moderate-input treatments. Fatty acid profiles were consistently altered, with reductions in stearic and oleic acids and notable increases in linoleic (+ 5.9%) and eicosenoic acids (+ 9%), enhancing the unsaturated-to-saturated ratio without harming oxidative stability. Multivariate and compositional analyses revealed strong, reproducible proportional relationships among fatty acids across years, driven by coordinated Zn- and AA-dependent regulation of desaturase pathways. Lipid-health indices showed significant nutritional enhancements, with high-AA × moderate-Zn combinations producing the most cardio-protective lipid profiles. Network analysis identified oleic acid, linoleic acid, zinc, and nitrogen as central hubs linking nutrient status to lipid metabolism, while multi-criteria rankings showed that treatments using moderate-to-high doses of amino acids combined with moderate-to-high levels of zinc were generally among the best-performing options across ranking methods. Conclusions: Overall, coordinated foliar application of amino acids and zinc offers a synergistic, environmentally friendly strategy to boost soybean nutrient density, improve oil yield, and promote a healthier lipid profile. The findings support amino acid–zinc biofortification as an efficient and eco-friendly approach for nutrition-focused soybean production.