WITHIN-PLANT VARIATION FOR SEED WEIGHT AND SEED QUALITY TRAITS IN WHITE LUPIN (LUPINUS-ALBUS L.)

The influence of the branch order on seed weight and seed quality trai ts was studied in 32 bitter landraces of white lupin. Seeds from the m ainstem, first-order branches, and second-order branches were harveste d separately and the seed weight, protein content, oil content, and oi l composition were determined at each branch order. The results showed the presence of within-plant variation for all of the traits included in this study. The seeds from the mainstem were heavier and had lower oil and protein content than the seeds from the branches. The seed oi l from the mainstem was characterised by a higher percentage of satura ted fatty acids and oleic acid, and a lower percentage of linoleic, li nolenic, eicosenoic, and erucic acid than the seeds from the branches. The seeds from the first branch order were heavier and had lower oil and protein content than the seeds from the second-order. Seed oil fro m the 2 branch orders only differed for the percentage of palmitic aci d, which was higher in the first-order. It is concluded that within-pl ant variation in white lupin should be taken into account to avoid sam pling errors, because seeds from one branch order are imperfect as a p redictor of the composition of seeds from the others.