Use of Lupinex to Increase Crop Yield and Improve Harvest Quality with Lesser Nitrogen Fertilization

Lupinex is a natural by product falling out during debittering of bitter lupin grains by water extraction - a pollution free technique developed by Mittex AG. It contains alkaloids, minerals, carbohydrates and other natural material of plant origin. In two years study various crops were tested at different sites in W. Germany, Portugal and Italy representing diverse soil and climatic conditions. Lupinex rates as foliar spray were 50 and 100 kg/ha at vegetative or reproductive plant stage or 200 kg/ha as 1/2 and 1/2. In certain cases 250 and 500 kg/ ha was applied on the soil. Increases harvested depended on site, soil, weather, N-input, variety, and time and amount of application. They ranged from 11-23 % for soybean, from 10-32 % for sunflower, from 20-28 % for Chinese cabbage, and from 18-67 % for bringles. A few cases of no increase or slight depression were also found. Up to 15 % increase in 1000-seed weight of soybean, and from 2 to 3.7% increase in seed protein contents for sunflower were registered.