White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) germplasm collection and preliminary in situ diversity assessment in Egypt

Forty white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) landraces were collected from farmers' fields in Egypt. Passport data, including information on cultural practices, as well as data for a few descriptors to assess in situ diversity were recorded. Soils from the collection sites were analysed for physical and chemical properties. White lupin seems to be grown as a minor winter crop all over Egypt, and on a wide variety of soil types, from heavy clay to sandy soils. Many farms growing white lupin had highly calcarious soils with a pH above 8.5, and CaCO3 content in excess of 10%. This finding indicates that resistance to high pH or calcium content may be available in white lupin germplasm from Egypt. Fusarium wilt is the most important pathogen of white lupin in Egypt, but great differences were observed between fields. Local landraces have an indeterminate canopy structure and showed a great variation in plant vigour that could partially be ascribed to soil fertility. Heterogeneous flower colour in most fields suggested that genetic variation exists in the local landraces grown by farmers. Seeds were generally moderately bitter with alkaloid content varying between 0.2 and 1.4%. The local bitter landraces are preferred to imported sweet cultivars. The collection has been stored at the Egyptian Gene Bank.