Introduction And Culture Of Washington Lupin

The growth and development habit, character of flower bud differentiation, and cultivating techniques in open field of Washington lupin introduced in Luoyang were studied in the paper. And the forcing culture techniques in greenhouse were also investigated. The major results and conclusions are as follows: (1) Washington lupin could be successfully introduced and established by direct sowing seed in Luoyang. The period of vegetative growth of Washington lupin is eight months which covered from mid and late August to mid April next year. The flower bud began to differentiate in mid April. Then the differentiated florets appeared in turn from the top down the primordium of inflorescence. The process of the florets differentiation could be divided into ten different periods. Washington lupin flowered in late May to early June. At last its seeds matured by July. (2) Washington lupin grew best in the Funiu Mountainous area where the climate is cool, the soil is acid and the altitude is high (more than 1000 meters), but it could also be adapted to Luoyang where the climate is hot, the soil is alkali, and the altitude is low (about 200 meters). Washington lupin could be transplanted, but it was not tolerant of high temperature or high humidity. (3) When forced culture, more than 3-year-old mature seedlings should be selected and subjected to low temperature (0#) over 45 days, then they should be planted in heating greenhouse where the daily mean temperature was 18~20# to compensate sun! ight. In this way, Washington lupin' s flowers would be expected to bloom by Spring Festival.