Mackenzie Lupin Development Group
The group is developing L. polyphyllus for use as an agricultural perennial legume species. Specifically we are breeding lupins for persistence in low fertility, rangeland and cool climates, commonly found in the New Zealand South Island high country.
Agricultural trials over the past few decades show that the russell lupin has a use as a grazed pasture perennial legume, surpassing other fodder crops on cool, loose textured, acid, high aluminium, low fertility soils under modest sulphur and phosphorous fertiliser levels and controlled grazing. However, in its present form it is moderately sour-tasting because of its alkaloid content. The species is known to have rare, low-alkaloid forms, which the group is intending to identify and multiply-up to increase its animal feed value and palatability.
