Uniwhite : a new lupin variety - Digital Library

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Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Western Australia, Series 4

Volume 8

Number 5 1967 Article 4

1-1-1967

Uniwhite : a new lupin variety Uniwhite : a new lupin variety

John Sylvester Gladstones

Follow this and additional works at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4

Part of the Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, and the Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons

Recommended Citation Recommended Citation

Gladstones, John Sylvester (1967) "Uniwhite : a new lupin variety," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 8: No. 5, Article 4.

Available at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol8/iss5/4

This article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agriculture at Digital Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected].

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"UNIWHITE'-A NEW LUPIN VARIETY

T h e University institute of Agriculture has released a new lupin variety, " U n i w h i t e . " This article describes its characteristics, and gives preliminary recommendations for its cultivation in Western Australia.

By J . S. G L A D S T O N E S , B.Sc. ( A g r i c ) , Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in A g r o n o m y , I n s t i t u t e of A g r i c u l t u r e , University of W e s t e r n Australia

U N I W H I T E is a new lupin variety, bred at W e s t e r n Australia.

It is a variety of the narrow-leaved, or

"New Zealand blue" lupin, Lupinus angustifolius L. Its growth characteristics closely resemble those of the common bitter and sweet Borre varieties of that species. The main differences are that in addition to being sweet (alkaloid-free) it has

• white flowers and seeds, and a complete lack of purple anthocyanin pigmentation of the vegetative parts

• markedly reduced shattering of the pods at maturity.

Pigmentation

The flowers are pure white when they first open, but with age acquire a purplish red tinge towards the tips of the keel and wings. The seeds are white but for a vari- able faint brown marbling, with some small darker brown markings near the hilum.

The lack of pigmentation of the leaves and stems gives the whole plant a slightly lighter, purer green colour than in normal blue-flowered, grey-seeded types. The difference is especially notable when the plants are in bud, when the pure light green of the buds contrasts strongly with the dark bud pigmentation associated with blue flowers.

the Institute of A g r i c u l t u r e , University of

These characteristics allow Uniwhite to be distinguished readily from existing locally-available varieties of the narrow- leaved lupin, either as seeds or at any growth stage. Because white flowers, seeds and so on are genetically recessive, any natural crossing with blue-flowered varieties can be detected early, and the contaminant cross-bred plants removed before flowering.

Reduced seed shedding

Reduced shedding of seed at maturity is the major agronomic advance achieved in Uniwhite.

The parent line (N.2793) from which this property was derived was discovered by the writer in December 1960, as two plants in a crop of commercial bitter narrow- leaved lupins growing on the C.S.I.R-0.

"Glen Lossie" experiment station at Kojonup. The reduced shedding charac- teristic is assumed to have arisen by natural mutation.

The reduction in seed shedding should be sufficient to allow normal header harvesting at maturity with minimal loss of seed. Some loss by shedding may be expected, however, if heatwave conditions occur at or soon after maturity.

190

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Uniwhite lupin has white flowers and lacks purple anthocya-

nin pigment in the vegetative parts. Reduced seed shedding is its main advantage

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GROWING UNIWHITE LUPINS

Districts

Uniwhite should succeed in the same areas as Borre and bitter narrow-leafed lupins. These are areas with an annual rainfall of 18-20 inches or more. Crops in lower rainfall districts may succeed, but will be less reliable. Like other varieties of the narrow-leafed lupin, Uniwhite should be fairly frost tolerant, and can be planted throughout the south-west of Western Australia without serious risk of frost damage.

Soils

The most suitable soils are well drained yellow or brown loamy sands, preferably overlying loam or clay. Gravelly soils or loams are also suitable.

Deep white sands should be avoided.

Experience has shown that narrow-leafed

lupins are less tolerant of poor sandy soils than W.A. blue lupins. Very heavy soils, and any soils subject to waterlogging in winter, should also be avoided.

Uses

Uniwhite is intended as a dual-purpose variety, for harvesting or summer grazing.

The harvested seed will be useful on the farm for feeding out in summer and autumn, its high protein content (30-35 per cent.) making its particularly valuable as an adjunct to dry standing feed and cereal stubbles.

The harvested seed will probably find a place in commercial stock rations, although for non-ruminants its value may be limited by relatively low contents of certain amino acids, most notably methionine.

Potential export markets for Uniwhite's high protein grain (for stock feeding) exist in countries such as England, continental Europe, and Japan if production costs are competitive.

Uniwhite can be grown as a standing crop for summer grazing by sheep or cattle. One of its most important uses could be for summer fattening.

Cultural Recommendations

Uniwhite can be planted on new land, provided it is well prepared, or on old land following crops or pastures. In a normal rotation the most suitable place is probably following a cereal crop. Crops for seed production should be at least 200 yards, and preferably 400 yards or more, from any stands of bitter narrow-leafed lupins, because some contamination by cross- pollination is possible. There need be no fear of crossing with yellow or W.A. blue lupins, which belong to different species and will not cross with the narrow-leafed lupin.

Early planting is advised, if possible before the middle of May.

The. limited information available sug- gests a normal seeding rate of about 40 lb. per acre, or up to 60 lb. under weedy conditions. In the initial stages of seed multiplication, when seed is scarce, 15 to 20 lb. per acre on a clean seed bed should be adequate to give maximum total seed return, without serious loss in yield

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Recommendations in summary

1. Sow early, using about 4 0 lb. of inoculated seed per acre under normal conditions, or 15 t o 2 0 lb. per acre on a clean seed-bed f o r initial seed m u l t i - p l i c a t i o n .

2 . Use liberal rates of superphosphate, w i t h cobalt and molybdenum if deficient. Responses t o potash will be obtained on some l i g h t soils.

3. T h e crop cannot be grazed during the growing season.

4 . W a t c h f o r c l i m b i n g cutworms attacking t h e green pods in spring.

D.D.T. gives good c o n t r o l , b u t should be used p r o m p t l y .

5. Harvest as soon as the crop is f u l l y ripe, using a wide concave clearance (or pea concave), and slow d r u m speed. If possible, avoid harvesting in hot d r y weather.

6. Ensure that stock grazing the stubble have adequate cobalt, and re- move t h e m f r o m the paddock for two or three weeks following summer rain.

7. For natural regeneration, graze the stubble heavily in summer, but re- move stock immediately when the opening rains fall in a u t u m n . For e l i m - ination o f the lupins, graze heavily f o l - lowing the opening rains.

8. Strain p u r i t y can be readily maintained by observing a few simple precautions.

per acre. At low seeding rates, the seeds may be sown through every second, third, or fourth drill run.

The seeds should be inoculated with commercial lupin inoculum, except on land which has carried lupins or serradella in recent years. (In general, lupins for seed production should not be planted in a land which has carried lupins within the last three or four years, because of possible ad- mixture and carry-over of diseases.) Inocu- lation at rates two to three times higher

than that recommended by the manu- facturers may be a worthwhile safety measure when planting valuable founda- tion seed.

Lime pelleting may be carried out, but is not essential. It is probably desirable where the seed is likely to come into contact with superphosphate, particularly where the latter contains trace elements.

The seeds should be inoculated immediately before planting. Nodulation problems are much less likely to be encountered in early-sown than in late-sown crops.

The seed should be drilled to a depth of 1 to 2 inches, the shallower depth being preferable if the soil is moist enough to ensure prompt germination.

Fertilisers

It is most important to supply adequate superphosphate. On new land the application should be not less t h a n about two bags (372 lb.) per acre on sandy-surfaced soils, or three bags on gravelly soils. These rates can be reduced on older land which has already received substantial amounts of phosphate, but under few circumstances should it be less than one bag per acre.

Payable responses to potassium application are likely to be obtained on deficient soils in medium to high rainfall districts.

The only trace elements to which responses by narrow-leafed lupins have so far been recorded locally are molybdenum and cobalt. There is some evidence that narrow-leafed lupins are relatively sus- ceptible to cobalt deficiency, and that they take up cobalt rather weakly from the soil- Until more detailed uniformation is available, application of cobalt is recommended when Uniwhite lupins are planted in districts where deficiency is known to occur in stock.

Grazing during the growing season

Grazing is not practicable during the growing season, except after the end of flowering in crops not intended for harvesting. The plants are highly palatable, and seldom recover well after grazing.

Pests and diseases

Uniwhite is seldom attacked seriously by insect pests in the early growing stages.

Some attack by red-legged earth mites may occur, but this has not so far been 192

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observed as serious enough to warrant spraying for control.

The most serious pest is likely to be climbing cutworm, which is most prevalent in late spring. The greenish or brownish grups bore into the young pods and eat out the immature seeds. Danger of attack is greatest in drier districts and in late- sown crops, which remain green longer into the late spring danger period than early-sown crops. Good control can be obtained with D.D.T. sprays or dusts, provided they are used promptly.

Several fungal diseases are capable of attacking lupins. All are encouraged by damp conditions, retarded growth of the plants, and the presence of dead material from previous lupin crops. Danger is minimised by (a) planting on well drained soils which have not recently carried lupins, (b) planting early, with ample fer- tiliser (especially superphosphate), to allow good establishment and growth before the winter danger period, and (c) use of clean, healthy seed.

Harvesting

The crop should be harvested as soon as it is fully ripe.

Tests with strain N2793, the bitter parent from which the reduced pod shattering of Uniwhite was derived, show that normally little seed shedding occurs during the first one to two weeks after the plants first become mature enough for harvesting, but that thereafter it continues steadily over a period of six weeks or more. Nevertheless, heatwave conditions can cause fairly substantial shedding at any time from maturity onwards.

Harvesting can be done with a normal header harvester, suitably adjusted. Every second tooth should be removed from the comb. A standard wheat drum may be used in conjunction with a pea concave, or alternatively with a wheat concave and wide drum clearance. The drum speed should be as low as possible, to avoid damage to the seeds.

Under hot, dry conditions the pods become very brittle and shatter readily when touched. Harvesting in cooler weather is therefore advised where possible.

Grazing of stubble

Uniwhite stubble should provide useful summer grazing, provided certain precautions are observed.

The possibility of lupinosis cannot be entirely discounted, although overseas and limited local evidence suggest that sweet lupin varieties such as Uniwhite are sub- stantially safer than bitter varieties.

If trouble is encountered, it is more likely to be on stubble than on unharvested crops. Removal of stock from Uniwhite paddocks immediately after summer rains, for not less than two to three weeks, is recommended as a precautionary measure.

There is also some suggestion that cor- rection of cobalt deficiency will further minimise any danger from lupinosis.*

Natural regeneration of stands

With proper management, good natural regeneration may be achieved for two or more years, although in some seasons the seeds may germinate prematurely and perish following summer rains, due to their lack of impermeability (hard-seededness).

Removal of as much of the dead lupin material as possible (for example by heavy summer grazing) is probably beneficial. On all but soils with a loose, sandy surface

\

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\ BITTEB

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5 10 15 20 10 IS 20

Graph illustrating the expected differences in shedding be- tween Uniwhite and the commercial bitter New Zealand lupin.

These results were obtained in a trial at Gidgiegannup, where the plants were mature enough to harvest on about

November 2 0

•Gardener, M. R. (1965).— Mineral metabolism in sheep lupinosis. 1. Iron and cobalt. J. Comp. Path 75:

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(and perhaps even there) renovation by a light working of the soil surface, before the opening rains, may also help to maintain the stand.

If regeneration is desired, stock must be removed promptly with the first opening rains in autumn, because the young erect- growing plants are very readily eaten out.

Elimination of the lupins, if desired, is readily achieved by stocking heavily after the opening rains.

Maintenance of a pure line of Uniwhire

Because contamination with bitter seeds seriously reduces the palatability of sweet lupins and would probably preclude their use for animals sensitive to alkaloids (such as pigs and poultry), maintenance of strain purity is of the greatest importance.

This can be easily achieved by

• Growing seed crops in isolation from bitter lupins.

• Rogueing out any dark-pigmented plants from a stud plot every year, before the flowers open. Bitter plants of

other species such as yellow lupins or W.A. blue lupins can be removed at any time up to maturity.

• Delaying harvesting of the seed crop long enough for any plants of the normal shedding type to have shed fully.

When buying seed, purity may be checked by observing seed colour. Presence of any dark-coloured seeds indicates contamination, probably with bitter varieties.

Removal of such seeds, followed by the three measures listed above will partly eliminate the contamination but cannot be guaranteed to do so entirely.

Acknowledgments

I wish to acknowledge the valuable technical assistance of Mr. J. R. Weelden- burg throughout the breeding programme, and the help given by the Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization in provision of faculties for seed multiplication in 1965 and 1966. The programme was financed by the Western Australian Wheat Industry Research Committee.

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