Diversity of white and narrow-leafed lupin genotype adaptive response across climatically-contrasting Italian environments and implications for selection

White lupin (Lupinus albus) and narrow-leafed lupin (L. angustifolius) have special interest as high-protein feed crops but their cultivation is limited by low grain yields. This study aimed to support breeding programs targeting Italy or other climatically variable south-European regions by investigating within-species adaptation patterns across contrasting Italian environments. An additional aim was comparing species for yielding ability. Eight narrow-leafed and six white lupin cultivars featuring different origin, phenological type (Mediterranean in both species; winter in white lupin; spring in narrow-leafed lupin) and plant architecture (determinate or indeterminate in both species; tall or dwarf in white lupin) were evaluated in a Mediterranean and a subcontinental-climate site under autumn and late-winter sowing. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction was preferable to joint regression for modeling yield responses. In both species, cross-over GE interaction was observed (P < 0.05), autumn-sown Mediterranean and subcontinental environments were the most-contrasting for GE effects, and widely adapted material included cultivars of Mediterranean phenological type with indeterminate growth. Material with determinate growth was not among the best-yielding entries in any environment, whereas a dwarf winter-type white lupin entry was specifically adapted to autumn-sown subcontinental environments. White lupin displayed larger genetic variation than narrow-leafed lupin for phenology and other traits. Relationships of morphophysiological traits with grain yield were environment-specific and were locally high for some white lupin traits (early flowering, long reproductive phase, high aerial biomass, low proportion of pod wall). White lupin exhibited higher yielding ability than narrow-leafed lupin in all environments but the late-winter sown Mediterranean one, when comparing locally top-yielding cultivars.