Investment
Investment
GRDC Code: UMU2404-007RTX
Program 1: Enhancing the nutritional quality of narrow-leafed lupin by reducing anti-nutritional seed alkaloid levels.
Narrow-leafed lupin (NLL), commonly known as Australian Sweet Lupin, plays a pivotal role in Australia's agricultural landscape, serving as a cost-effective protein source, disrupting cereal disease cycles in crop rotations, and enriching cropping systems with valuable fixed nitrogen. While lupin alkaloids contribute to resistance against herbivorous insects, notably aphids, stringent regulations mandate seed alkaloid levels to remain below 0.02% for food and monogastric stockfeed markets. Presently, up to 30% of NLL production fails to meet this industry standard, a particular concern for in monogastric, aquaculture, and human food markets. Past attempts at releasing very low alkaloid varieties were hindered by excessive susceptibility to aphids and were not adopted by growers. This project aims to address these challenges by manipulating alkaloid levels and distribution in vegetative tissue and seeds to achieve aphid resistance while ensuring low alkaloid content suitable for consumption. Field trials, complemented by glasshouse experiments, will screen germplasm and identify environmental factors and management practices, employing cost-effective and accurate phenotyping and measurement systems. Genetic analysis, leveraging Murdoch University and CSIRO's extensive lupin genomic resources, will identify major genes and develop breeding tools for on-going breeding efforts. This project will provide agronomic guidance to growers, breeders, and processors, ultimately delivering higher-value lupin varieties with enhanced agronomic and quality traits. These advancements aim to optimise lupin utilisation in Australian farming systems and capitalise on opportunities in food and protein markets.
- Project start date:
- 01/04/2024
- Project end date:
- 31/03/2028
- Crop type:
-
- Lupins, (Legume)
- Organisation
- Murdoch University
- Region:
- North, South, West
- Project status
-
Active
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