Reviving the albus lupin industry

March 31, 2003

In a bid to resurrect the albus lupin industry, which collapsed in 1996 after the outbreak of anthracnose, the development of an anthracnose resistant albus lupin has been initiated.

Western Australian Department of Agriculture grain legume breeding manager, Mark Sweetingham said lines with anthracnose tolerance and agronomic promise had been identified and promoted to further yield tests.

"We have to find high yielding, anthracnose resistant albus lines that can replace Kiev Mutant which is very susceptible to the disease. If we can do that we will be well on the way to getting the albus lupin industry back on track", he said.

Dr Sweetingham said 19 lines had been selected for their maturity, agronomic type, yielding ability and disease severity and were currently being multiplied at Manjimup.

The lines will be further tested for yield and disease reaction in 2003 and the best lines will be selected with a view to release in 2004.

Meanwhile, an anthracnose resistant replacement for Belara will be released in 2004. Dr Sweetingham said lupin breeding had been concentrating on developing high yielding lines with other important attributes such as phomopsis resistance, anthracnose resistance and improved tolerance of herbicides.

"WALAB2141 is an excellent advanced breeding line which will be a competitive replacement for nearly all varieties currently being grown. It has better tolerance to metribuzin than Tanjil, it has good resistance to aphids, a high degree of phomopsis resistance and slighter higher protein than Belara", he said.

Dr Sweetingham said the new variety, to be released next year has all the attributes that are necessary in short seasons or for crop topping. 

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