Establishment and phenotypic characterization of genetically diverse core collections of Lupinus albus

Background: Lupinus albus is a food grain legume recognized for its high levels of seed protein (30–40%) and oil (6–13%), and its adaptability to different climatic and soil conditions. The availability of well-characterized, genetically and phenotypically diverse germplasm will facilitate the development of next-generation L. albus cultivars, encourage biodiversity conservation, and promote the sustainable utilization of this species. Results: We evaluated more than 2000 L. albus accessions based on 35 agro-morphological traits and passport data to establish Intelligent Collections. The Reference-CORE (R-CORE), covering global diversity, exemplified the genotypic variation among accessions differing in biological status (cultivars, breeding/research materials, landraces, and wild relatives). The Training-CORE (T-CORE), a subset of 300 R-CORE accessions, represents the diversity of the entire collection. Principal component analysis showed that the L. albus R-CORE encompasses four phenotypic groups (A1, A2, A3, and B), and that groups A3 and B can be characterized by the main phenotypic traits of pod shattering and seed ornamentation, respectively. The coefficient of total genetic variation differed across morphological traits, phenotypic groups, geographic regions, and according to biological status. Conclusions: The core collections established in this study will facilitate agricultural research by providing the broad phenotypic data needed for crop improvement programs and by shedding light on the undiscovered biodiversity of L. albus genetic resources. Understanding the variation found in such resources will allow us to develop sustainable tools and technologies that address global challenges such as the provision of healthy and sustainable diets for all and the mitigation of climate change.