Adaptation of lupins for Northern European maritime conditions

Summary

Lupin as a grain crop has been restricted in growing area to more continental conditions due to their indeterminate growth form, which in maritime Northern European areas causes excessive vegetative development, late and uneven ripening and lodging. However, new reduced branching types provides better possibilities for adaptation to these conditions, and preliminary results indicates potential seed yields up to 5-6 tons per ha in the narrowed leafed lupins (Lupinus angustifolius) and an acceptable stable and early ripening. Due to full susceptibility to anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) in white (L. albus) and yellow (L. luteus) their introduction in these environments is doubtful. In these growing areas Botrytis (Botrytis cinerea) and fusarium (Fusarium avenaceum and F. oxispurum) appear to be the most important diseases for narrowed leafed lupins. As the narrowed leafed lupins is a young crop in modern breeding significant progress in adaptation to northern European conditions, in yield potential, quality and disease resistance is expected.