New Lupin For Western Australia

SYDNEY - Sep 18/07 - SNS -- Plant breeders with the Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia have developed a new high yielding narrow-leafed lupin called Jenabillup for the state's southern coastal areas.

Department Director General Ian Longson said seed of the new lupin was expected to be in demand by growers in high rainfall areas where it could out-yield all current varieties.

"For those growers who have the potential to produce 3 to 4 tons of lupins per hectare on their property, then Jenabillup can reach this yield potential," Longson said. "Jenabillup overcomes some of the major problems that have prevented reliable production of lupins in the southern areas, and increases the importance of the lupin phase in southern farming systems. The new variety will enhance both cropping and mixed farming enterprises, adding value to rotations as well as to on and off farm feed opportunities."

Senior lupin breeder Bevan Buirchel said Jenabillup was less susceptible to diseases including black pod or unfilled pod syndrome, and moderately resistant to brown spot, making it the best performer of all varieties. Jenabillup also has resistance to cucumber mosaic virus and aphids similar to the variety Tanjil and intermediate resistance to phomopsis stem blight similar to Kalya. But, it was less resistant to anthracnose and phompsis and less tolerant of metribuzin than Mandelup. It may not be as well suited to areas where anthracnose is a high risk factor.

The variety was bred by the Department of Agriculture and Food with funding support from the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Seed of Jenabillup is available to growers through The Seed Group Alliance.