Metabolomics study for exploring metabolic perturbations in soybean adventitious roots by fluorescent light irradiation

Soybeans are the most popular cultivated crops worldwide. They contain abundant functional components. As part of the research to enhance functional components in soybean plants, soybean adventitious roots were cultured under dark and fluorescent light irradiation conditions and difference in their metabolome was explored using 1H NMR-based metabolomics approach. Results revealed that fluorescent light irradiation increased the biomass of soybean adventitious roots and caused considerable metabolic perturbations. In particular, health-beneficial secondary metabolites such as soyasaponin (3.4-fold), isoflavones (3.9-fold), and coumestrol derivatives (1.3-fold) were accumulated more in soybean adventitious roots grown under fluorescent light irradiation than in those grown under a dark condition due to increased photosynthesis that was evidenced by increased levels of glucose. The present study provides useful information on global metabolite compositions of soybean adventitious roots and their quality improvement by controlling growth conditions to enhance functional potentials of soybeans.