The lupin demonstration trial was sown in Smoky Lake. In this demonstration there were three varieties of narrow leaf lupin (Boregine, Lunabor and Probor) and one variety of wide leaf lupin (Dieta). Seeds for these varieties were kindly provided by Robyne Davidson at Lakeland College. These varieties were kindly donated because they show the most promise for production and commercialization in Canada.

Overall, the narrow leaf lupin varieties can be identified by their flower. It is most likely that white flowers belong to plants from the Boregine variety whereas Lunabor and Probor possess violet and blue flowers respectively. Probor plant stands tend to be the shortest narrow leaf lupin variety in comparison to Boregine and Lunabor. Seeds in the Probor narrow leaf lupin variety are the lightest in comparison to seeds from the Boregine variety, whereas Lunabor seeds are in between Probor and Boregine. Ultimately Lunabor is considered to be the most yielding variety followed by Boregine and Probor. Among these latter varieties, there not much difference in yield.

Protein content in lupin can be found to be between 30 to 55% in the seed. As such, Lupin content in narrow leaf lupin varieties such as Lunabor and Probor is considered the same, however, both of these varieties have greater seed protein content than that found in seeds from the Probor variety.

As for wide leaf lupin, Dieta is a bitter free variety. This is important to mention because grains are thus palatable for livestock and thus used as an alternative to other grains such as field pea and faba bean. Wide leaf lupin senescence does not quite concord with our weather changes here in Canada. Hence, by the time summer ends and fall makes its way, white lupin needs to be desiccated around the same time a grower will plant to desiccate their faba bean plants. Currently, white lupin has been marketed for human consumption in various organic food outlets as a healthy source alternative for protein.

Despite the transcending efforts done by Robyne Robinson and their team at Lakeland College, lupin has had a struggle to settle into the crop rotation in the Canadian Prairies. This is because the weed management options in lupin are very limited as only Sencor ® (Metribuzin) is the only herbicide registered for in crop application. In other parts of the world such as Europe and Oceania, herbicides such as Prowl ® (Pendimenthalin) or Venture ® (Fluazyfop-p-butyl) are alternatives used for broadleaf and grassy weeds respectively. It is envisioned that the Canadian Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) can in the future provide some flexibility and allow more choices of chemical weed management for this crop.