Abstract:Aims The objective of our study was better understanding of increased yield and economic benefits of high oil soybean with waving-canopy cultural type. Methods We used the high-oil soybean (Glycine max cv. Ludou9) and studied the effects of waving-canopy cultural type on active oxygen and membrane lipid metabolism peroxidation in its leaves in field experiments and laboratory analyses during 2005-2006. Important findings The average content of soluble protein and soluble sugar was 1.56 and 3.82 mg?g-1 greater in the waving- canopy groups compared to CK (0. 034% and 7.18%, respectively). Their contents increased 1.35% and 48.41% at podding and flowering growth stages, respectively, with all differences being statistically significant. Changes in the content of soluble protein and soluble sugar were much more favorable to C, N metabolism, and coordination of the source, storage and flow and metabolism of C was more meliorated and greater than that of N. Average activities of peroxidase (POD) increased by 20.13%, most increased by 46.53% at podding growth stages, and the difference was statistically significant. It was the key protective enzyme that had more effects than superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The average activities of SOD and CAT increased by 2.28% and 0.48%, respectively, while malondialdehype (MDA) content declined, and the ability for improvement against active oxygen increased and senility occurred slowly. POD, SOD and CAT all had the same trends, the activity of SOD appeared earlier than that of CAT and POD, and POD appeared lastly, i.e., these three enzymes had different effects at different growth stages. Therefore, this cultural type significantly affected the active oxygen and membrane lipid metabolism peroxidation of soybean, and it was much more favorable for the high oil soybean to gain high yield, fine quality and economic benefit.