More about lupin

Lupin species belong to the genus Lupinus within the legume family Fabaceae. Lupin species are annual, herbaceous plants that grows up to 1.5 m high, with a tap root up to 2.5 m deep.

Lupin seeds are characterized by a high protein content (30-48%) and are relatively low in fat, fibre and starch. They are very well suited as a high-protein feed in livestock farming. They are also increasingly used as a replacement for milk and meat-sourced protein and fat in specialised food products such as new types of ice cream and plant-based milk replacements. For the farmer, the lupin has a high nitrogen fixation capacity of up to 400 kg N / ha and can therefore make a valuable contribution to the crop rotation. Lupin seeds need inoculation with suitable strains of rhizobium in most situations.

There are about 200 lupin species, three of which are of particular importance with regard to human nutrition and livestock feeding: white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) and yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.). They originate from the Mediterranean region, south-eastern Europe and western Asia. They have been cultivated for over 4,000 years.

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.)
White lupin grows up to 1.2 m high and roots up to 0.7 m deep. The seeds are large, sounded and flat with a high protein content (30-40 %), a fat content of 8-9 %. They are suitable for human consumption as well as for feeding livestock in modern production systems.

Blue lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.)
Blue lupin grows up to 1.5 m high and roots up to 2.5 m deep. It is also called narrow-leaved lupin. The flowers are usually blue, although some flower are white. The seeds of blue lupin have a lower protein content (up to 28 %) than the seeds of white or yellow lupin. However, blue lupin is characterized by a deeper taproot that gives the crop advantages on some sites.

Yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.)
Yellow lupin grows up to 0.8 m high and has a deep taproot. Its seeds are kidney-shaped and are characterized by a higher protein content (34 – 48 %) than those of blue or white lupin. It is particularly suitable for human consumption and as feed for livestock, such as poultry, pigs, cattle and fish.