The productive traits, fatty acid profile and nutritional indices of three lupin (Lupinus spp.) species cultivated in a Mediterranean environment for the livestock

The aim of this study was to investigate the productive traits and fatty acid profiles of eight sweet varieties of Lupinus albus, Lupinus angustifolius and Lupinus luteus cultivated in a Mediterranean environment (Sicily, southern Italy). This is being done to identify the most suitable species, from an agronomical and nutritional point of view, for supporting animal husbandry in this area. Seed yield, oil quantity and oil quality were considerably different depending on the genotype. L albus showed the highest yield (2.0-2.4 t/ha), 100 seed weight (27.0 g, on average), oil content (70.4-75.5 g/kg), and n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (0.39-0.51). L angustifolius showed the highest content of saturated fatty acids (21.03-26.66 g/100 g) and L luteus showed the highest levels of n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (47.56-50.85 g/100 g), unsaturated/saturated (4.93-5.62) and polyunsaturated/saturated (3.33-3.99) fatty acid ratios and the best atherogenic (0.06) and thrombogenic (0.09-0.11) indices. The data obtained suggests L albus as the most interesting lupin species for aiding the crop-livestock food chain and L. luteus as a promising crop due to its high nutritive traits for the Mediterranean environment. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.