Australia
February 24, 2025
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Leading Western Australian lupin research and extension agronomist Peter Nelson pictured in the 1990s.
Photo: courtesy of DPIRD
Western Australia’s reputation as the world’s leading producer of lupins owes much to the efforts of retired research and extension agronomist Peter Nelson, who died on 6 November 2024, aged 87.
Peter was widely known as ‘Mr Lupin’ for his work to establish the legume in Western Australia. Australia is the world’s largest producer of lupins and more than half the crop is grown in WA, where the 2024-25 a million tonnes.
Originally from England, Peter came to Australia in 1961, joining the Western Australian Department of Agriculture. He worked in Northam, Katanning and Kununurra, where he focused on cotton, before moving to Geraldton in the late 1970s.
It was here he became an advocate for lupins and its integration into the ‘new cropping system’ as the key legume in crop rotations.
Peter left the Department of Agriculture in 1996 and spent the next 14 years as the lupin and crop production specialist with the Grain Pool of WA.
In 2004, he received the GRDC Seed of Light Award for excellence in research communication.
The award recognised his efforts for creatively and professionally extending lupin to Western Australian growers.
Colleagues said he worked closely with growers to promote the virtues of lupins, providing technical expertise but also learning from growers to identify and advocate best practice strategies.
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