Effects of Crude Ground Biarum bovei Powder on the Morphophysiological Characteristics of Two Lupinus albus L. Varieties

Introduction. Biarum bovei Blume is a medicinal plant native to eastern Libya. Although its phytochemical profile has been partially documented, its allelopathic behavior toward cultivated species remains unexplored. Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic effects of incorporating crude leaf and tuber powder of B. bovei into soil on the growth and yield of two Lupinus albus L. varieties (sweet and bitter). Materials and Methods. The pot experiments were conducted during the 2023 growing season at Omar Al-Mukhtar University. Crude powder of B. bovei leaves and tubers was incorporated into pots at 0, 5, and 10 g/kg soil. Ten seeds of each lupine variety were sown per pot in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Morphological and biochemical parameters were measured after four months. Results. The crude powder significantly inhibited several morphological and biochemical traits (P < 0.05), including seedling emergence rate (from 100% to 25%), shoot length, root length, fresh weight per plant (from 6.4 g to 1.8 g), and photosynthetic pigments, notably chlorophyll a (from 1.66 to 0.48 mg/g). Phosphorus, iron, sodium, phenols, and alkaloids also decreased. In contrast, potassium, copper, total nitrogen, crude protein, and proline increased under treatment. The strongest inhibition was recorded with tuber powder at 10 g/kg, and the sweet variety was more sensitive. Conclusions. These findings suggest that B. bovei residues can negatively impact L. albus growth and productivity, particularly when derived from tubers. Further field studies are needed to assess potential implications for crop management.