Abstract
Livestock production in the European Union EU is highly dependent on imported soybean, exposing the livestock farming system to risks related to the global trade of soybean. Lupin species could be a realistic sustainable alternative source of protein for animal feeding. Lupinus is a very diverse genus with many species. However, only four of them—namely, L. albus, L. angustifolius, L. luteus and L. mutabilis—are cultivated. Their use in livestock farming systems has many advantages in relation to economic and environmental impact. Generally, lupin grains are characterized by high protein content, while their oil content is relatively low but of high quality. On the other hand, the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids and their specific carbohydrate composition are the main antinutritional factors that prevent their use in animal feeding. This research is mainly related to L. albus and to L. angustifolius, and to a lesser extent, to L. lauteus and L. mutabilis. The breeding efforts are mostly focused on yield stabilization, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, biochemical structure associated with seed quality and late maturing. Progress is made in improving lupin with respect to the seed quality, as well as the tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. It has to be noted that modern cultivars, mostly of L. albus and L. angustifolius, contain low levels of alkaloids. However, for future breeding efforts, the implementation of marker-assisted selection and the available genomic tools is of great importance.
Highlights
Animal products are the main source of protein for European citizens, with 59% of the consumed protein in the European Union (EU) being derived from them [1]
Modern breeding programs mainly focus on yield stabilization, resistance to abiotic stresses, biochemical structure associated with seed quality, resistance to diseases and late maturing [30,77,78]
This study provides information about lupin species that can be utilized for animal feeding
Summary
Animal products are the main source of protein for European citizens, with 59% of the consumed protein in the European Union (EU) being derived from them [1]. The availability of non-GM soybean is very low, and the price is very high [8] In this regard, finding alternative sources of protein for animal feed is imperative. With Rhizobium bacteria, they fix atmospheric nitrogen, and their cultivation does not require the use of inorganic nitrogen fertilizers Their use in intensive rotation system with cereals improves the yield production of cereals and mitigates environmental impacts such as demand for non-renewable energy resources, eutrophication, acidification, terrestrial and aquatic ecotoxicity [9]. Lupin species seem to be a realistic sustainable alternative source of protein in both monogastric and ruminant feed that can replace soybean without loss in the quantity and quality of the livestock products [12,13]. Emphasis is placed on the available genomic resources, conventional breeding for the release of new cultivars, and on the use of genomic tools in breeding programs
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