Choice important ahead of 2014 lupin season

In preparation for the 2014 lupin season, growers are making one of the most important crop management decisions - the choice of which variety to plant.

Pulse Australia industry development WA manager Alan Meldrum said growers had an increasing number of varieties to choose from, giving them the chance to grow the best one suited to their location and therefore improve their yields.

Mr Meldrum said that for the west coast district (lupin zone 1), Pulse Australia recommended the newly released, high-yielding PBA Barlock variety, which replaced the Tanjil and Wonga varieties.

Barlock offers anthracnose resistance, equal to Tanjil, and reduced susceptibility to pod loss when compared to Mandelup.

Being tolerant of metribuzin means PBA Barlock will play a useful part in the control of radish weed in the crop rotation.

In the central and southern districts (lupin zones 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7), Mr Meldrum said PBA Gunyidi was the best choice.

"Released in 2011, Gunyidi has proven to offer high yields, moderate resistance to anthracnose and the least harvest risk from pod loss. Gunyidi is also metribuzin-tolerant and so is the best variety if radish control is necessary," he said.

"Jenabillup has shown very high yield potential in these zones, but it is not metribuzin tolerant and is susceptible to harvest pod loss."

Mr Meldrum said that for the south coast area (lupin zone 8), the 2007 release, Jenabillup, remained the best choice because it consistently yields highest in the zone.