Table 3. Effects of external melatonin on soybean yield and yield components.
| Treatment | PH/cm | One SP | Two SP | Three SP | Four SP | SPP | 100-SW/g | Yield (g/plant) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V1 | WW | 83.7±3.89a | 3.71±0.59a | 11.0±2.11a | 13.6±1.35a | 2.19±0.17a | 75.3±2.35a | 18.03±0.21a | 13.57±0.59a |
| WW+ML | 84.9±2.88a | 3.77±0.69a | 10.89±1.01a | 13.2±1.11a | 2.31±0.19a | 74.39±3.01a | 18.11±0.11a | 13.47±0.36a | |
| WW+MR | 84.2±2.99a | 3.80±0.31a | 11.03±0.98a | 13.2±1.21a | 2.44±0.11a | 75.22±2.84a | 18.01±0.10a | 13.62±0.59a | |
| PEG | 61.0±5.87d | 1.33±0.31c | 6.17± 0.99c | 9.50±0.89b | 2.33±0.15b | 51.5±3.19c | 17.19±0.10a | 8.85±1.01d | |
| PEG+ML | 71.2±2.35c | 2.33±0.39b | 9.50±1.24b | 12.8±1.28ab | 1.67±0.09c | 66.5±1.89b | 17.52±0.11a | 11.65±0.59c | |
| PEG+MR | 75.60±1.11b | 1.60±0.35c | 9.20±1.07b | 13.2±1.11a | 3.00±0.13a | 71.6±2.21ab | 17.71±0.09a | 12.68±0.99b | |
| V3 | WW | 83.7±3.89a | 3.71±0.39ab | 11.0±2.11a | 13.6±1.35a | 2.19±0.17a | 75.3±2.35a | 18.03±0.21a | 13.57±0.59a |
| WW+ML | 85.1±4.03a | 3.48±0.29a | 12.3±1.11a | 12.98±0.89a | 2.21±0.16a | 75.86±1.36a | 18.09±0.11a | 13.72±0.29a | |
| WW+MR | 84.5±4.38a | 3.59±0.33a | 10.98±1.39a | 13.03±1.21a | 2.23±0.19a | 73.56±1.29a | 18.02±0.10a | 13.26±0.69a | |
| PEG | 63.5±3.88c | 2.25±0.19c | 5.75±1.69b | 10.5±1.27b | 1.01±0.11b | 49.3±1.89c | 17.22±0.14a | 8.48±1.03c | |
| PEG+ML | 66.8±4.99bc | 4.00±0.34a | 10.8±1.89a | 9.75±0.89c | 2.02±0.08a | 62.8±2.19b | 17.55±0.10a | 11.01±0.88b | |
| PEG+MR | 72.8±5.69b | 3.50±0.28b | 5.50±1.37b | 13.3±1.07a | 2.05±0.11a | 62.3±2.09b | 17.96±0.07a | 11.18±1.06b | |
| R1 | WW | 83.7±3.89a | 3.71±0.39a | 11.0±2.11a | 13.6±1.35a | 2.19±0.17a | 75.3±2.35a | 18.03±0.21a | 13.57±0.59a |
| WW+ML | 85.3±3.19a | 3.75±0.21a | 11.26±1.03a | 12.88±1.02a | 3.02±0.21a | 76.99±0.16a | 18.13±0.11a | 13.96±0.36a | |
| WW+MR | 84.9±2.99a | 3.69±0.11a | 11.33±0.65a | 13.5±0.59a | 2.29±0.13a | 76.01±0.14a | 18.1±0.09a | 13.76±0.44a | |
| PEG | 67.50±2.59c | 1.50±0.13c | 7.67±1.43d | 10.50±0.89b | 1.17±0.28b | 53.00±2.13d | 17.23±0.02c | 9.13±0.99d | |
| PEG+ML | 72.17±1.86b | 2.33±0.23b | 9.83±0.79b | 10.50±1.35b | 1.17±0.48b | 58.17±2.09c | 17.68±0.05b | 10.28±1.03c | |
| PEG+MR | 78.40±1.74a | 2.40±0.65b | 8.20±2.36c | 12.40±1.36ab | 2.20±0.49a | 64.80±2.56b | 17.61±0.02b | 11.41±0.93b | |
WW: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution alone; WW+ML: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution and 100 μmol/L melatonin by leaf; WW+MR: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution and 100 μmol/L melatonin by root; PEG: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution plus 15% PEG 6000 treatment; PEG+ML: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution plus 15% PEG 6000 treatment and 100 μmol/L melatonin by leaf; PEG+MR: half-strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution plus 15% PEG 6000 treatment and 100 μmol/L melatonin by root. PH: plant height; SP: seed pod; SPP: seeds per plant; SW: seed weight. The data represent the mean ± SE of five replicate samples. Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences according to Duncan’s multiple range test (P<0.05).