Research

Geneticists hunt for tastier, higher-value narrow-leafed lupins

Grain Central May 10, 2024

Dr Lingling Gao. Photo: CSIRO

THE Grains Research and Development Corporation has announced two new investments into narrow-leafed lupin (NLL) aiming to enhance nutritional quality and improve agronomic value of the pulse.

The projects represent a collective investment of $7 million into NLL genetics, and will be led by the Western Crop Genetics Alliance, a joint initiative of Murdoch University and Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, CSIRO, and other partners.

GRDC manager genetic technologies – pulses Camilla Hill said Australia grows 85 percent of the world’s lupins, with 70pc exported to regions such as Asia, North Africa and the Middle East.

“Australian sweet lupin, known as narrow-leafed lupin, plays a pivotal role in Australian agriculture as a cost-effective protein source for animal feed,” Dr Hill said.

“Western Australia is responsible for 80pc of Australia’s lupin production.

“WA growers benefit from lupins in their crop rotations because of their adaptability to the region’s climate and acidic soils.

“Lupins also effectively break cereal disease cycles and provide valuable fixed nitrogen to cropping systems.”

With the global population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, and a rising interest in plant-based diets, the Australian lupin industry sees a significant opportunity in the expanding plant protein market.

High-protein content, low starch, low fat, and low glycaemic index position NLL favourably for plant-based protein production.

Despite its potential, only 4pc of Australian NLLs are processed for human consumption.

One of the projects will be led by Murdoch University with partners DPIRD, CSIRO and Australian Grain Technologies, and aims to improve the nutritional quality of NLL by reducing anti-nutritional seed alkaloid levels.

Project lead and WCGA director Chengdao Li is based at Murdoch University’s Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, and said anti-nutritional factors such as quinolizidine alkaloids and inconsistencies in meeting alkaloid standards hinder NLL’s widespread use.

“Genetic variability, environmental factors and management practices contribute to alkaloid variations, posing a challenge for growers in producing consistent low-alkaloid lupins,” Professor Li said.

“The anti-nutritional factors provide protection for plants from insects, such as aphids. The challenge is to have a lupin variety with constant low alkaloid, but good tolerance to these pests.

“This project will address these challenges by developing lupin germplasm with stable, lower alkaloid seed levels and higher levels in vegetative tissue across diverse environmental conditions.”

The second project led by CSIRO with partners Murdoch University and Australian Grains Technologies aims to enhance the agronomic and nutritive value of NLL by reducing seed coat thickness and increasing protein content.

CSIRO project lead Lingling Gao said the project would identify narrow leafed lupin germplasms and gene targets associated with thinner seed coats, independent of grain size and yield, and without affecting protein levels.

“This research aims to develop the germplasm and molecular markers to enable lupin breeders to efficiently breed new varieties with seed coats significantly thinner than current varieties, which typically constitute nearly a quarter of dry weight, without compromising grain size, yield, or protein levels,” Dr Gao said.

“We aim to enable breeders to efficiently cultivate new lupin varieties that meet industry standards for human food consumption and so allow Australian lupin farmers to capitalise on expanding food and proteins markets.”

Both projects commenced in early 2024, with results anticipated to be available from 2028.

Source: GRDC

HAVE YOUR SAY

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your comment will not appear until it has been moderated.
Contributions that contravene our Comments Policy will not be published.

Comments

Get Grain Central's news headlines emailed to you -
FREE!