β-glucosidase activity and isoflavone content in germinated soybean radicles and cotyledons

Seeds of BRS 213 soybean cultivar were germinated for 72 h at 25c. Samples were collected and analyzed every 6 h during germination. beta-glucosidase activity increased 3.3-fold in radicles and 2.3-fold in cotyledons. In the radicles, there was a significant decrease in total isoflavone content (6.3-fold), while for malonyl forms, daidzin and glycitin, there was a decrease of 5.0- to 10.0-fold. Daidzein did not vary significantly during germination, while genistein and glycitein were detected at some germination times. In the cotyledons, there was an increase in total isoflavone content (2.4-fold), malonylgenistin (2.6-fold) and 3.3-fold increases for malonyldaidzin. Genistin and daidzin did not vary significantly during germination and genistein was only detected 0 and 6 h after incubation.