Soybean is a major legume and oilseed crop with enormous economic importance, but its production is highly dependent on optimal rainfall or ample irrigation. In Kazakhstan, soybean production is highly vulnerable to drought and irrigation shortages. The aim of this study was to assess the level of drought escape and tolerance of soybean genotypes in different maturity groups, grown in well-watered conditions or without irrigation. Field trials were conducted in the very dry conditions of Kazakhstan with the hydrothermal coefficient 0.46–0.67. Nineteen soybean cultivars from five maturity groups were tested over four seasons under two conditions, with and without irrigation. The main indicators of drought tolerance were seed yield, seed weight per plant, percentage of seeds with smooth coats compared to wrinkled and shriveled ones, and 1000 seed weight. Under drought, seed yield of the studied genotypes decreased by 45.5–69.5% compared to well-watered controls. The most optimal genotypes for cultivation without irrigation were soybean cultivars from medium maturity group MG I (Vilana, Cheremosh, Xin-D11-252, and Desna) with a vegetation period of 115–128 days when avoiding drought during flowering, and the average yield for the group (1.7 t/ha) was slightly below that of those in drought-tolerant genotypes from medium–late/late maturity groups MG II–III (1.9–2.0 t/ha). Based on yield under drought, the best cultivars were identified as follows: Ivushka (1.2 t/ha) for MG 00 group; Ustya (1.3 t/ha) for MG 0; Vilana (1.8 t/ha) for MG I; Zen (2.3 t/ha) for MG II; and Sponsor (2.5 t/ha) for MG III. The identified genotypes can be used in breeding programs to reduce drought effects on soybean crops.

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Foc), is a devastating disease of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), leading to vascular necrosis and plant death. This study evaluated 120 chickpea genotypes under natural infection field conditions during spring sowing in southeastern Kazakhstan, assessing disease incidence (DI) and severity (DS) to identify resistant germplasm. Molecular screening using eight SSR markers linked to Foc-1, Foc-2, Foc-3, and Foc-5 loci detected resistant alleles in 18, 26, 19, and 42 genotypes, respectively. The correlation between molecular marker data and phenotypic resistance evaluations confirmed UBC-170 (Foc-2) and TA-194 (Foc-5) as the most predictive diagnostic markers (p < 0.01). Ten genotypes showed complete disease resistance (DI < 5%, R), corresponding to the resistant control (cultivar “WR-315”), with confirmed presence of multiple Foc resistance genes. The results of this study revealed valuable genetic resources for marker-assisted breeding programs aimed at developing Fusarium wilt-resistant chickpea cultivars adapted to Central Asian agroclimatic conditions.

Molecular-genetic analysis of soybean yield and yield components under drought is a crucial element for the development of effective breeding strategies and sustainable agricultural production. The aim of this review is to critically analyse current data from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and identified genetic loci, SNP markers, and candidate genes associated with yield components in soybean in dry conditions with limited water supply and adequate watering (controls). In the results, 346 genetic associations, and 229 candidate genes with KEGG-based potential functions were sufficiently described in published papers and selected for the current study. Three statistically significant metabolic pathways were identified with isoflavonoid biosynthesis, glycosaminoglycan degradation and cysteine and methionine metabolism. The main limitation of the presented analysis was found in the low level of heritability for the studied traits, together with human factors such as carrying out and interpreting GWAS affecting the results presented in the current study. Additionally, complex multigenic controls were reported for the studied traits in soybean and a high level of genotype × environment interactions. Nevertheless, the presented data provide a basis for developing molecular strategies to improve soybean yield in conjunction with better potential drought tolerance.

Photoperiod sensitivity is one of the main factors limiting soybean adaptation to high-latitude conditions. The aim of this study was to perform marker-assisted selection (MAS) at the E1, E3, E4, and E7 loci in three soybean F₂ populations (F10, F13, and U4), followed by field evaluation of their F₃ progenies in Northern Kazakhstan. Individual plants were genotyped with functional PCR-based markers for E1, E3, and E4, and with linked SSR markers for E7. This allowed us to select plants carrying target alleles and marker profiles. In total, 110 F₃ progenies were tested in the Kostanay Region, and 80 of them (72.7%) reached full maturity. The phenotypic associations of the E loci and differed among genetic backgrounds. In F10, e3-fs was strongly associated with earlier flowering and completion of maturation. In F13, e4-SORE-I was associated with earlier flowering, a higher frequency of completed maturation, and earlier maturity. Also in F13, SSR marker classes associated with E7 were significantly related to maturity status and days to maturity. Among the multilocus classes in F13, the target combination e3-fs/e3-fs e4-SORE-I/e4-SORE-I together with the SSR marker profile associated with e7/e7, showed the earliest mean flowering and maturation times. Based on the field results, 14 F₃ progenies were selected for further breeding work. These progenies completed maturation within 90–110 days and met additional agronomic selection criteria. Hybridization combined with MAS enabled targeted selection of breeding material carrying the valuable alleles e1-nl, e3-fs, and e4-SORE-I, as well as favorable multilocus profiles. The results highlight the value of combining multilocus MAS with field evaluation in the target environment for developing early-maturing, photoperiod-adapted soybean breeding material for Northern Kazakhstan.