Cultivar and Growing Location Effects on White Lupin Immature Green Seeds

Harbans L Bhardwaj,Anwar A Hamama

doi:10.5539/jas.v4n2p135

Abstract

Mature white lupin (Lupinus albus L., Fabaceae) seeds have been used as food for over 3000 years around the Mediterranean and for as much as 6,000 years in the Andean highlands. However, no information is available about use of immature green lupin seeds as human food similar to that of vegetable soybean (Edamame) and green peas. We studied yield and protein content of green immature seeds of ten white lupin cultivars grown at two locations in Virginia over 2005-06 and 2006-07 crop seasons. Location effects were, generally, non-significant whereas cultivar effects were significant for pod yield and number of pods per hectare and non-significant for number of seeds per pod, shelling percent, and protein content whereas location effects were significant only for protein content. The mean values for pod yield (kg.ha-1), number of pods per hectare, number seeds per pod, shelling percent, and protein content of green immature white lupin seeds were 18098, 3402899, 4, 32, and 33, respectively. These results, when compared to literature values for Edamame and green peas, were encouraging and indicated that green immature white lupin seeds may have potential as human food.

Highlights

Lupin is a cool-season legume plant native to Mediterranean, North Africa, and North and South America
We are interested in developing white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) as a grain, forage, and green manure crop in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region of the United States
Green pods were harvested from 2-3 meter row length from each of the three replications of ten white lupin lines grown at two locations in Virginia during 2005-06 (Planted on September 29, 2005 and October 4, 2005, respectively at Petersburg and Suffolk) and 2006-07 (Planted on October 13, 2006 and October 17, 2006, respectively at Petersburg and Suffolk)

Summary

Introduction

Lupin is a cool-season legume plant native to Mediterranean, North Africa, and North and South America. More than 300 Lupinus have been described, but only five species are cultivated. The most important are the white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), blue or narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius L.), and yellow lupin (L. luteus L.). Andean lupin from South America (L. mutabilis L.) and the West Australian Sandplain or blue lupin (L. consentinii L.) are grown on a limited basis because of their hard seed and high alkaloid content (Putnam, 1993). We are interested in developing white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) as a grain, forage, and green manure crop in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Extensive research has identified winter-hardy lines and preliminary evaluation of mature seeds has indicated that lupin seed contain 32 to 43 % protein with a mean of 37 %, 3 to 7 % oil with a mean of 5%, and 5 to 9 % sugar with a mean of 7% (Bhardwaj et al, 1998)

Objectives

Methods

Results