Abstract

Mature white lupin (Lupinus albus L., Fabaceae) seeds have been used as food for over 3000 years around the Mediterranean and for as much as 6,000 years in the Andean highlands. However, no information is available about use of immature green lupin seeds as human food similar to that of vegetable soybean (Edamame) and green peas. We studied yield and protein content of green immature seeds of ten white lupin cultivars grown at two locations in Virginia over 2005-06 and 2006-07 crop seasons. Location effects were, generally, non-significant whereas cultivar effects were significant for pod yield and number of pods per hectare and non-significant for number of seeds per pod, shelling percent, and protein content whereas location effects were significant only for protein content. The mean values for pod yield (kg.ha^-1), number of pods per hectare, number seeds per pod, shelling percent, and protein content of green immature white lupin seeds were 18098, 3402899, 4, 32, and 33, respectively. These results, when compared to literature values for Edamame and green peas, were encouraging and indicated that green immature white lupin seeds may have potential as human food.

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