Typical yield
1.5 t/ha
Varieties
2
Pest/Disease
6
Seasons
3
Profile
- Growth habit
- annual
- Lifecycle (days)
- 100–150
- Primary uses
- Pulse; forage; soil improvement (N fixation)
- Pollination
- self
- Origin / distribution
- Temperate & Mediterranean; adapted highland tropics
Environment
Climate
Temp optimal
10–20 °C
Rain optimal
500–800 mm/yr
Altitude
800–2600 m
Soil
pH optimal
5.5–6.8
Soil type
Well-drained; tolerates low P acidic soils
Farmer Guide
Row spacing
40 cm
Plant spacing
15 cm
Depth
3 cm
Seed rate
80 kg/ha
Nursery days
Planting: Direct-drill into moist, cool-season window; inoculate with lupin rhizobia.
Transplanting: Not transplanted; keep inoculated seed shaded until sowing.
Irrigation: Mostly rainfed; avoid saturation; supplement at flower/pod fill if dry.
Fertigation: Minimal N; focus on P, K, S to support nodulation and seed fill.
Pest scouting: Early weed control; scout for aphids and anthracnose from early vegetative stage.
Pruning/Training: Not applicable.
Harvest: Harvest when pods are brown and seeds hard; minimize shattering.
Postharvest: Dry to ~10–12% moisture; cool, dry storage. Debitter bitter types before food use.
Nutrient Schedule
| # | Stage | DAP | Product | Rate | Targets (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seed dressing & inoculation | -1 | Lupin Rhizobium inoculant | 1 per label | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Coat just before sowing; avoid sun |
| 2 | Basal P at planting | 0 | TSP 0-46-0 or SSP | 80 kg/ha (product) | N: —, P₂O₅: 30, K₂O: — | Band below seed; keep separate from inoculant |
| 3 | Early vegetative S/Ca | 20 | Gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) | 100 kg/ha | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: — | Supports nodulation; seed quality |
| 4 | K top-up (if needed) | 35 | MOP or SOP | 60 kg/ha (product) | N: —, P₂O₅: —, K₂O: 20 | Prefer SOP on chloride-sensitive soils |
Nutrient Requirements
| Nutrient | Stage | Amount | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| N | Basal | 10 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Basal | 30 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Basal | 20 | kg/ha |
| N | Topdress | 0 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Topdress | 10 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Topdress | 20 | kg/ha |
| N | Pod_fill | 0 | kg/ha |
| P₂O₅ | Pod_fill | 0 | kg/ha |
| K₂O | Pod_fill | 20 | kg/ha |
Images
| Name | Country | Maturity | Traits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Lupin | KE | 130 | Low-alkaloid; grain quality |
| Narrow-leaf lupin (local) | ET | 110 | Early; drought tolerant |
| Stage | Product | Rate (kg/ha) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basal | NPK 15-15-15 | 50 | |
| Basal | TSP 0-46-0 (or SSP) | 65 | Starter P; banded |
| Vegetative | Gypsum | 100 | Supplies Ca and S; supports nodulation |
| Pod fill | Sulfate of potash | 50 | Only if K is deficient |
| Name | Type | Symptoms | Management |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aphids | pest | Honeydew; virus risk; leaf curl | Early monitoring; conserve predators; threshold sprays |
| Pod borers (Helicoverpa spp.) | pest | Pod/seed feeding | Flower–pod scouting; targeted control if needed |
| Anthracnose | disease | Stem crooks; lesions; dieback | Clean seed; avoid spread; resistant types; fungicide if severe |
| Sclerotinia stem rot | disease | Wilting; white mycelium; sclerotia | Rotation; canopy airflow; targeted sprays |
| Root rots (Rhizoctonia/Phytophthora) | disease | Damping-off; root lesions | Well-drained fields; avoid compaction; seed treatments |
| Weed competition | pest | Stunting; yield loss | Pre/post-emergence control; narrow rows |
| System | Typical | Min | Max | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rainfed highland | 1.5 | 0.8 | 2.5 | Inoculation + P improve yields |
| Country | Region | Planting | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| KE | Highlands | May–Jun | Sep–Nov |
| KE | Highlands (long rains) | Mar–Apr | Aug–Sep |
| KE | Highlands (short rains) | Oct–Nov | Feb–Mar |
| Country | Region | Suitability |
|---|---|---|
| KE | Highlands | Medium |
| KE | Highlands & cool mid-altitudes | High |
| KE | Hot lowlands (>28 °C mean) | Low |
| TZ | Northern highlands | High |