Zhang Yuanyuan, Wang Lei
State Key Laboratory of Forage Breeding-by-Design and Utilization, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China.
Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China.
Hortic Res. 2025 Mar 10;12(7):uhaf081. doi: 10.1093/hr/uhaf081. eCollection 2025 Jul.
Alfalfa (), a perennial legume forage, has been broadly cultivated owing to a variety of favorable characteristics, including comprehensive ecological adaptability, superior nutritive value and palatability, and nitrogen fixation capacity. The productivity traits of alfalfa, specifically its biomass yield and forage quality, are significantly influenced by a series of determinants, including internal developmental factors and external environmental cues. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying the fundamental biological problems of alfalfa remain elusive. Here, we conducted a comprehensive review focusing on the genomics of alfalfa, advancements in gene-editing technologies, and the identification of genes that control pivotal agronomic characteristics, including biomass formation, nutritional quality, flowering time, and resistance to various stresses. Moreover, a molecular design roadmap for the 'ideal alfalfa' has been proposed and the potential of pangenomes, self-incompatibility mechanisms, domestication, and intelligent breeding strategies to enhance alfalfa's yield, quality, and resilience were further discussed. This review will provide comprehensive information on the basic biology of alfalfa and offer new insights for the cultivation of ideal alfalfa.
紫花苜蓿是一种多年生豆科牧草，因其具有多种优良特性，包括广泛的生态适应性、卓越的营养价值和适口性以及固氮能力，而被广泛种植。紫花苜蓿的生产力性状，特别是其生物量产量和饲草质量，受到一系列决定因素的显著影响，包括内部发育因素和外部环境信号。然而，紫花苜蓿基本生物学问题的调控机制仍然不清楚。在此，我们进行了一项全面综述，重点关注紫花苜蓿的基因组学、基因编辑技术的进展，以及控制关键农艺性状（包括生物量形成、营养品质、开花时间和对各种胁迫的抗性）的基因的鉴定。此外，还提出了 “理想紫花苜蓿” 的分子设计路线图，并进一步讨论了泛基因组、自交不亲和机制、驯化和智能育种策略在提高紫花苜蓿产量、品质和抗逆性方面的潜力。本综述将提供有关紫花苜蓿基础生物学的全面信息，并为理想紫花苜蓿的培育提供新的见解。
