Department of Agriculture and Food development officer Wayne Parker, of Geraldton, said growers attending recent Crop Updates seminars indicated many were planning to increase areas sown to lupins this year.

“With lupin prices currently equalling wheat, some growers may be anticipating little difference in margins between the two crops in 2010,” he said.

“This means that in 2010, all the rotational advantages of lupins such as nitrogen boost, leaf and root disease break, rotation of herbicide groups and weed control can all be obtained for little cost.”

Mr Parker said some farmers were returning to lupins after a number of seasons without the crop in rotation.

“In the northern wheatbelt, large areas of wheat have been planted during the past two years in an effort to recoup losses from the droughts of 2006 and 2007,” he said.

Lupins are ideal for the management of weed seed within windrows and through crop topping.

“Dense windrows can be achieved with inexpensive modification of the harvester that contain up to 80% of all weed seed entering the harvester,” Mr Parker said.

“These windrows can then be burnt to destroy the weed seeds contained within.

“Lupins have the unique ability for weed control at the end of the season through crop topping. Unlike other crops, yield reduction of lupin is only minor when a desiccant spray is correctly timed to prevent weed seed set. This reduces weed seed carry over into following seasons.”

Mr Parker said nitrogen was necessary for a successful wheat yield and lupins provide nitrogen for up to four years following the crop.

“A lupin crop yielding 1.5 t/ha will provide the equivalent to 40 kg/ha of urea to the following crop,” he said.

More agronomic information can be found in the ‘Producing Lupins’ book published by the Department of Agriculture and Food.