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Abstract Background We aimed to gain insight into the response mechanism of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to drought stress by recognizing and analyzing drought-responsive genes in the roots of different root types of alfalfa. The rhizomatous-rooted M. sativa cv.‘Qingshui’ (QS), tap-rooted M. sativa cv.‘Longdong’ (LD), and creeping-rooted M. varia cv. ‘Gongnong No. 4’ (GN) were used to analyze the transcriptome information and physiological characteristics of the root systems of the cultivars under simulated drought stress using PEG-6000. Results It was found that aridity caused a significant increase in the content of osmotic stress substances and antioxidant enzyme activity. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in QS was lower than that in LD and GN under moisture stress, indicating a stronger accumulation capacity of osmotic regulatory substances. Based on sequencing results, 14,475, 9336, and 9243 upregulated DEGs from QS, LD, and GN were annotated into 26, 29, and 28 transcription factor families, respectively. QS showed more DEGs than LD and GN. KEGG enrichment analysis identified that DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways such as amino acid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signaling transduction, and MAPK pathways. This suggests a strong correlation between these pathways and drought stress. The results also show that genes associated with ABA hormone signaling (MS. gene93372, MS. gene072046, and MS. gene012975) are crucial for plant’s adaptation to drought stress. Conclusions These genes, such as serine/threonine protein kinases and abscisic acid receptors, play a crucial role in plant hormone signaling and MAPK pathways. They could serve as potential candidate genes for drought resistance research in alfalfa, providing a molecular foundation for studying drought resistance. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Daye No.3 is a novel cultivar of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) that is well suited for cultivation in high-altitude regions such as the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau owing to its high yield and notable cold resistance. However, the limited availability of transcriptomic information has hindered our investigation into the potential mechanisms of cold tolerance in this cultivar. Consequently, we conducted de novo transcriptome assembly to overcome this limitation. Subsequently, we compared the patterns of gene expression in Daye No. 3 during cold acclimatization and exposure to cold stress at various time points. Results A total of 15 alfalfa samples were included in the transcriptome assembly, resulting in 141.97 Gb of clean bases. A total of 441 DEGs were induced by cold acclimation, while 4525, 5016, and 8056 DEGs were identified at 12 h, 24 h, and 36 h after prolonged cold stress at 4 °C, respectively. The consistency between the RT‒qPCR and transcriptome data confirmed the accuracy and reliability of the transcriptomic data. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that many genes related to photosynthesis were enriched under cold stress. STEM analysis demonstrated that genes involved in nitrogen metabolism and the TCA cycle were consistently upregulated under cold stress, while genes associated with photosynthesis, particularly antenna protein genes, were downregulated. PPI network analysis revealed that ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins act as hub genes in response to cold stress. Additionally, the plant hormone signaling pathway was activated under cold stress, suggesting its vital role in the cold stress response of alfalfa. Conclusions Ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins induced by cold acclimation play a crucial role in early cold signal transduction. As hub genes, these ubiquitination-related ribosomal proteins regulate a multitude of downstream genes in response to cold stress. The upregulation of genes related to nitrogen metabolism and the TCA cycle and the activation of the plant hormone signaling pathway contribute to the enhanced cold tolerance of alfalfa.

The current paper has presented the study conducted in the alfalfa collection nursery on the experimental plots of the Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” in the period from 2021 to 2023. The purpose of the study was to determine the dependence of green mass productivity of collection alfalfa samples on the morphological traits of plants. The object of the study was a collection of alfalfa, consisting of 105 samples developed created at FSBSI ARC “Donskoy”. Sowing was carried out manually, with row spacing of 20 cm. The area of the plots was 1 m2 , with double repetition. The seed-sowing rate for alfalfa was 2 g/m2 . The standard variety was ‘Rostovskaya 90’. As a result, there was revealed that over 3 years the highest mean productivity of alfalfa green mass was formed in two groups of samples according to plant height: 1) 80–85 cm – 8.10 kg/m2 (the samples ‘SGP-424’, ‘SPCh 401/2000’); 2) 105–110 cm – 7.88 kg/m2 (‘SGP-162’, ‘SGP-189’, ‘SGP-175’, etc.). This indicator of alfalfa productivity was the highest (7.81 kg/m2 ) in the optimal values of tillering (15–20 pcs.). The highest alfalfa green mass productivity was formed by the samples with foliage of 48–50 % and 42–44 %. The green mass productivity of alfalfa samples varied within the range of 3.33–10.49 kg/m2 . There have been identified 7 samples which productivity ranged from 9.09 kg/m2 to 10.49 kg/m2. There have been selected the samples that combined the highest green mass productivity with tallness and high foliage of plants, as well as the greatest leaf length and hay yields.

In arid and semiarid regions, crop production has high irrigation water demands due to low precipitation. Efficient irrigation water management strategies can be developed using crop growth models to assess the effect of different irrigation management practices on crop productivity. The leaf area index (LAI) is an important growth parameter used in crop modeling. Measuring LAI requires specialized and expensive equipment not readily available for producers. Canopy cover (CC) and canopy height (CH) measurements, on the other hand, can be obtained with little effort using mobile devices and a ruler, respectively. The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between LAI, CC, and CH for fully and deficit-irrigated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The LAI, CC, and CH measurements were obtained from an experiment conducted at the Valley Road Field Lab in Reno, Nevada, starting in the Fall of 2020. Three irrigation treatments were applied to two alfalfa varieties (Ladak II and Stratica): 100%, 80%, and 60% of full irrigation demands. Biweekly measurements of CC, CH, and LAI were collected during the growing seasons of 2021 and 2022. The dataset was randomly split into training and testing subsets. For the training subset, an exponential model and a simple linear regression (SLR) model were used to determine the individual relationship of CC and CH with LAI, respectively. Also, a multiple linear regression (MLR) model was implemented for the estimation of LAI with CC and CH as its predictors. The exponential model was fitted with a residual standard error (RSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.97 and 0.86, respectively. A lower performance was obtained for the SLR model (RSE = 1.03, R2 = 0.81). The MLR model (RSE = 0.82, R2 = 0.88) improved the performance achieved by the exponential and SLR models. The results of the testing indicated that the MLR performed better (RSE = 0.82, R2 = 0.88) than the exponential model (RSE = 0.97, R2 = 0.86) and the SLR model (RSE = 1.03, R2 = 0.82) in the estimation of LAI. The relationships obtained can be useful to estimate LAI when CC, CH, or both predictors are available and assist with the validation of data generated by crop growth models.

Abstract Alfalfa is widely recognized as an important forage crop. To understand the morphological characteristics and genetic basis of seed morphology in alfalfa, we screened 318 Medicago spp., including 244 Medicago sativa subsp. sativa (alfalfa) and 23 other Medicago spp., for seed area size, length, width, length-to-width ratio, perimeter, circularity, the distance between the intersection of length & width (IS) and center of gravity (CG), and seed darkness & red–green–blue (RGB) intensities. The results revealed phenotypic diversity and correlations among the tested accessions. Based on the phenotypic data of M. sativa subsp. sativa, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) called against the Medicago truncatula genome. Genes in proximity to associated markers were detected, including CPR1, MON1, a PPR protein, and Wun1(threshold of 1E−04). Machine learning models were utilized to validate GWAS, and identify additional marker-trait associations for potentially complex traits. Marker S7_33375673, upstream of Wun1, was the most important predictor variable for red color intensity and highly important for brightness. Fifty-two markers were identified in coding regions. Along with strong correlations observed between seed morphology traits, these genes will facilitate the process of understanding the genetic basis of seed morphology in Medicago spp.

Abstract Soil salinization poses a serious threat to crop growth. The selection of appropriate soil modifiers and water-soluble fertilizers for saline soils represents a crucial method for enhancing crop yields. The modifiers and medium-element water-soluble fertilizers were prepared using hydrochar derived from rice straw. Two distinct experiments were designed to study the effect of modifiers and water-soluble fertilizers on saline soils. The first experiment, designated as the “Soil Cultivation Experiment” , sought to investigate the impact of various modifiers on soil quality. The second experiment, designated as the “Method of Field Micro-Area Experiment”, aimed to assess the influence of water-soluble fertilizers on saline soils. The results showed that the application of modifiers and water-soluble fertilizers significantly enhanced comprehensive soil physical and chemical properties, crop growth, soil enzyme activity, and other key indicators in saline and alkaline soils. The optimal dosage of the modifier was 20 g/kg, which reduced the pH value from 8.62 to 8.21 and the decreased alkalinity by 8.26%. Furthermore, their application effectively boosted nutrient levels, including organic matter, and increased soil enzyme activity. The biomass of alfalfa showed enhancements of 63.01% and 20.87% and the biomass of leymus chinensis increased by 29.39% and 9.02% for the two batches, respectively. Notably, the application of water-soluble fertilizer yielded achieved superior results. This study also provided a theoretical basis for their future application in soda saline–alkali soil.

Under the pressures of global climate change and human activities, the carrying capacity of water and soil resources in agricultural lands has decreased, and the traditional models of agricultural development are no longer sustainable. Land degradation, groundwater quality reduction and ecosystem instability are the consequences of agricultural development without considering sustainability indicators. This article aims to investigate the use of variable relationship analysis and Bayesian network methods to analyze and investigate the relationship between irrigation in agriculture and the sustainability of the groundwater ecosystem. Descriptive statistics of agriculture including cultivation pattern, time, precipitation, irrigation, and land slope were analyzed and combined with the simulated characteristics of groundwater including specific yield, hydraulic conductivity and hydrodynamic diffusion coefficients. Five crops of wheat, barley, paddy, alfalfa, and potato were studied to evaluate the effect of plants on the pattern of nitrate release due to irrigation and fertilization in agriculture. The results showed that managing the amount of fertilizer and the volume of irrigation can positively affect the nitrate distribution pattern in the groundwater even in a short period of time. HIGHLIGHTS The relationships between variables are used to build a logical model for analysis.; The quantity and quality of irrigation water is incorporated into the system for estimating the nitrate concentration in groundwater.;

The effect of different irrigation methods (sprinkler, surface, surface-drip, and subsurface-drip) using treated wastewater, on alfalfa yield quantity and quality, was studied under semi-arid conditions. Randomized complete block design considering irrigation methods on 5 × 5 m plots replicated four times. Applied irrigation water was based on the Penman–Monteith equation using the FAO Cropwat software and accounting for the efficiencies of used irrigation systems. Surface irrigation gave the highest alfalfa fresh yield without significant difference compared to subsurface-drip. Average fresh production was 123, 120, 109, and 91 tons/h for surface, subsurface-drip, surface-drip, and sprinkler irrigation, respectively. Alfalfa fresh weight from subsurface-drip irrigation was 32 and 10% higher compared to sprinkler and surface-drip irrigation. Alfalfa dry weight from subsurface-drip irrigation was 10, 21, and 47% higher compared to surface-drip, surface, and sprinkler irrigation, respectively. N percentage in alfalfa leaves was significantly lower by 12% under subsurface-drip irrigation as compared to the other irrigation methods. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and fecal coliform (FC) were not detected on alfalfa leaves using subsurface-drip irrigation. E. coli and FC counts were high on leaves using sprinkler and surface irrigation. Subsurface-drip irrigation may be adapted as an efficient irrigation method when using non-conventional water under semi-arid conditions. HIGHLIGHTS Irrigation study: Examined methods using treated wastewater in semi-arid areas.; Subsurface-drip: Tops in dry yield, matches in fresh yield.; Health benefits: Subsurface-drip reduces E. coli and fecal coliform on alfalfa.; Smart water use: Advocates calculated use with FAO Cropwat insights.; Alternative water: Recommends subsurface-drip for treated wastewater in semi-arid regions.;

Abstract Alfalfa use (Medicago sativa L.; “lucerne”) in warm, humid regions of the world represents a potential area of expansion for the alfalfa industry. The objective of this review paper is to demonstrate how alfalfa forage breeding and systems research efforts have identified opportunities for increasing alfalfa contributions in these regions, along with potential pathways for seed industry and farming operations to increase adoption. Our review draws primarily on reports from the Southeast United States and Argentina. Significant technological advancements in plant screening and selection have identified alfalfa plant populations that are more adapted to the growing conditions experienced in these regions, which are often characterized by mild temperature, long growing seasons, and multiple other abiotic and biotic stressors. Management systems research conducted in the United States and Argentina has demonstrated the use of alfalfa for conserved forage, grazing, or dual‐purpose use in monoculture or mixtures with warm‐season grasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.). These trials report increased forage production, nutritive value, and ecosystem services of alfalfa–grass mixtures when compared with traditionally N‐fertilized warm‐season grass‐based systems. Grazing‐based alfalfa systems in Argentina have demonstrated methods for utilizing alfalfa as part of beef, dairy, and finishing systems. Some approaches for expanding alfalfa production in the region include targeted marketing efforts for adapted varieties and demonstrating alfalfa applications within existing farming frameworks. This includes educational programming efforts and on‐farm demonstrations to promote alfalfa use as a component of the livestock diets, integration into grass‐based systems, crop rotations, and wildlife use. Continued emphasis on a systems approach to alfalfa inclusion represents an opportunity for improved forage and livestock production in warm, humid regions of the world.

The article presents the results of studies (1991–1994, 2005–2007 and 2015–2018) conducted on leached heavy loam chernozem in the Republic of Mordovia. The purpose of the research is to conduct a comparative assessment of the effect of mineral fertilizers on the yield and quality of alfalfa and awnless brome. The analysis of long-term results showed that the productivity of alfalfa during three rotations of the field crop rotation was higher by 0.64, 1.05 and 0.15 t/ha compared with the awnless brome (5.73, 4.43 and 5.54 t/ha). The application of phosphorus-potassium (PK) fertilizers for alfalfa increased the harvest by an average of 18 %, with a payback of 1 kg a.i. of fertilizer with 8 kg of hay and an additional income of 1.3 rubles/rub. The use of a full mineral seed with doses of nitrogen N30–90 for awnless brome increased crop yield from 36 to 67 % compared to the PK variant (4.15 t/ha), additional income amounted to 1.15–1.29 rubles / rub, payback of 1 kg of a.i. of nitrogen – 32.7–45.5 kg of hay. The analysis of the experimental material showed that the concentration of crude protein in the green mass of alfalfa was 1.5 times higher than in the awnless brome (12.89 %). Complete mineral fertilizer increased the crude protein content in the green mass of the awnless brome in some years from 8 to 28 %, in alfalfa only by 2-3 % compared with the PK variant. According to the collection of crude protein per unit area, alfalfa crops (on average 1,133 kg/ha) differed favorably from awnless brome (684 kg/ha).

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa. L.) is a globally significant autotetraploid legume forage crop. However, despite its importance, establishing efficient gene editing systems for cultivated alfalfa remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we pioneered the development of a highly effective ultrasonic-assisted leaf disc transformation system for Gongnong 1 alfalfa, a variety widely cultivated in Northeast China. Subsequently, we created a single transcript CRISPR/Cas9 (CRISPR_2.0) toolkit, incorporating multiplex gRNAs, designed for gene editing in Gongnong 1. Both Cas9 and gRNA scaffolds were under the control of the Arabidopsis ubiquitin-10 promoter, a widely employed polymerase II constitutive promoter known for strong transgene expression in dicots. To assess the toolkit’s efficiency, we targeted PALM1, a gene associated with a recognizable multifoliate phenotype. Utilizing the CRISPR_2.0 toolkit, we directed PALM1 editing at two sites in the wild-type Gongnong 1. Results indicated a 35.1% occurrence of editing events all in target 2 alleles, while no mutations were detected at target 1 in the transgenic-positive lines. To explore more efficient sgRNAs, we developed a rapid, reliable screening system based on Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation, incorporating the visible reporter MtLAP1. This screening system demonstrated that most purple visible hairy roots underwent gene editing. Notably, sgRNA3, with an 83.0% editing efficiency, was selected using the visible hairy root system. As anticipated, tetra-allelic homozygous palm1 mutations exhibited a clear multifoliate phenotype. These palm1 lines demonstrated an average crude protein yield increase of 21.5% compared to trifoliolate alfalfa. Our findings highlight the modified CRISPR_2.0 system as a highly efficient and robust gene editing tool for autotetraploid alfalfa.

Abstract Background Selenium is essential for livestock and human health. The traditional way of adding selenium to livestock diets has limitations, and there is a growing trend to provide livestock with a safe and efficient source of selenium through selenium-enriched pasture. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of selenium enrichment on fermentation characteristics, selenium content, selenium morphology, microbial community and in vitro digestion of silage alfalfa by using unenriched (CK) and selenium-enriched (Se) alfalfa as raw material for silage. Results In this study, selenium enrichment significantly increased crude protein, soluble carbohydrate, total selenium, and organic selenium contents of alfalfa silage fresh and post-silage samples, and it significantly decreased neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber contents (p

On February 12, 2024, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Konstantinovich Shumny turned 90 years old. V.K. Shumny from 1985 to 2007 headed the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICG SB RAS). For more than 30 years he was the head of the Department of Cytology and Genetics of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of Novosibirsk State University and the chairman of the dissertation council of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS. Since 1980, he was a member of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences / RAS, since 1986 he became deputy chairman, and since 1992 - chairman of the Joint Scientific Council of the SB RAS for biological sciences. Since 2004 V.K. Shumny headed the Vavilov Society of Genetics and Breeders (VOGiS) for 10 years, and since 2014 he has been the honorary president of this society. For more than 20 years V.K. Shumny was the editor-in-chief of the periodical scientific publication “VOGiS Herald” (now the Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Selection). The scientific activity of V.K. Shumny is related to plant genetics. He is the head of one of the largest scientific schools in this field. Under his leadership, 6 doctors and 24 candidates of science defended their dissertations. He has published more than 500 scientific papers and received 12 copyright certificates for plant varieties. V.K. Shumny is co-author and editor of several school textbooks on biology.

Atrazine, a commonly employed herbicide for corn production, can leave residues in soil, resulting in photosynthetic toxicity and impeding growth in subsequent alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crops within alfalfa-corn rotation systems. The molecular regulatory mechanisms by which atrazine affects alfalfa growth and development, particularly its impact on the microbial communities of the alfalfa rhizosphere, are not well understood. This study carried out field experiments to explore the influence of atrazine stress on the biomass, chlorophyll content, antioxidant system, and rhizosphere microbial communities of the atrazine-sensitive alfalfa variety WL- 363 and the atrazine-resistant variety JN5010. The results revealed that atrazine significantly reduced WL-363 growth, decreasing plant height by 8.58cm and root length by 5.42cm (p <0.05). Conversely, JN5010 showed minimal reductions, with decreases of 1.96cm in height and 1.26cm in root length. Chlorophyll content in WL-363 decreased by 35% under atrazine stress, while in JN5010, it was reduced by only 10%. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation increased by 60% in WL- 363, compared to a 20% increase in JN5010 (p <0.05 for both). Antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), were significantly elevated in JN5010 (p <0.05), suggesting a more robust defense mechanism. Although the predominant bacterial and fungal abundances in rhizosphere soils remained generally unchanged under atrazine stress, specific microbial groups exhibited variable responses. Notably, Promicromonospora abundance declined in WL-363 but increased in JN5010. FAPROTAX functional predictions indicated shifts in the abundance of microorganisms associated with pesticide degradation, resistance, and microbial structure reconstruction under atrazine stress, displaying different patterns between the two varieties. This study provides insights into how atrazine residues affect alfalfa rhizosphere microorganisms and identifies differential microbial responses to atrazine stress, offering valuable reference data for screening and identifying atrazine-degrading bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drought stress restricts the growth, distribution and productivity of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). In order to study the response differences of alfalfa cultivars to drought stress, we previously carried out physiological and molecular comparative analysis on two alfalfa varieties with contrasting drought resistance (relatively drought-tolerant Longdong and drought-sensitive Algonquin). However, the differences in proteomic factors of the two varieties in response to drought stress still need to be further studied. Therefore, TMT-based quantitative proteomic analysis was performed using leaf tissues of the two alfalfa cultivars to identify and uncover differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). Results: In total, 677 DAPs were identified in Algonquin and 277 in Longdong under drought stress. Subsequently, we conducted various bioinformatics analysis on these DAPs, including subcellular location, functional classification and biological pathway enrichment. The first two main COG functional categories of DAPs in both alfalfa varieties after drought stress were ‘Translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis’ and ‘Posttranslational modification, protein turnover, chaperones’. According to KEGG database, the DAPs of the two alfalfa cultivars after drought treatment were differentially enriched in different biological pathways. The DAPs from Algonquin were enriched in ‘photosynthesis’ and ‘ribosome’. The pathways of ‘linoleic acid metabolism’, ‘protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum’ and ‘RNA transport’ in Longdong were significantly enriched. Finally, we found significant differences in DAP enrichment and expression patterns between Longdong and Algonquin in glycolysis/glycogenesis, TCA cycle, photosynthesis, protein biosynthesis, flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis, and plant-pathogen interaction pathway after drought treatment. Conclusions: The differences of DAPs involved in various metabolic pathways may explain the differences in the resistance of the two varieties to drought stress. These DAPs can be used as candidate proteins for molecular breeding of alfalfa to cultivate new germplasm with more drought tolerance to adapt to unfavorable environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is crucial cell signal transduction mechanism that plays an important role in plant growth and development, metabolism, and stress responses. The MAPK cascade includes three protein kinases, MAPK, MAPKK, and MAPKKK. The three protein kinases mediate signaling to downstream response molecules by sequential phosphorylation. The MAPK gene family has been identified and analyzed in many plants, however it has not been investigated in alfalfa. Results: In this study, Medicago sativa MAPK genes (referred to as MsMAPKs) were identified in the tetraploid alfalfa genome. Eighty MsMAPKs were divided into four groups, with eight in group A, 21 in group B, 21 in group C and 30 in group D. Analysis of the basic structures of the MsMAPKs revealed presence of a conserved TXY motif. Groups A, B and C contained a TEY motif, while group D contained a TDY motif. RNA-seq analysis revealed tissue-specificity of two MsMAPKs and tissue-wide expression of 35 MsMAPKs. Further analysis identified MsMAPK members responsive to drought, salt, and cold stress conditions. Two MsMAPKs (MsMAPK70 and MsMAPK75) responds to salt and cold stresses; two MsMAPKs (MsMAPK60 and MsMAPK73) responds to cold and drought stresses; four MsMAPKs (MsMAPK1, MsMAPK33, MsMAPK64 and MsMAPK71) responds to salt and drought stresses; and two MsMAPKs (MsMAPK5 and MsMAPK7) responded to all three stresses. Conclusion: This study comprehensively identified and analysed the alfalfa MAPK gene family. Candidate genes related to abiotic stresses were screened by analysing the RNA-seq data. The results provide key information for further analysis of alfalfa MAPK gene functions and improvement of stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower development is a crucial and complex process in the reproductive stage of plants, which involves the interaction of multiple endogenous signals and environmental factors. However, regulatory mechanism of flower development was unknown in alfalfa (Medicago sativa). In this study, the three stages of flower development of 'M. sativa cv. Gannong No. 5' (G5) and its early flowering and multi flowering mutant (MG5) were comparatively analyzed by transcriptomics. The results showed that compared with late bud stage (S1), 14287 and 8351 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified at early flower stage (S2) in G5 and MG5, and 19941 and 19469 DEGs were identified at late flower stage (S3). Compared with S2, 9574 and 10870 DEGs were identified at S3 in G5 and MG5, respectively. Venn analysis revealed that 547 DEGs were identified among the three comparison groups. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these genes were involved in the development of alfalfa flowers through redox pathways and plant hormone signaling pathways. Key candidate genes including SnRK2, BSK, GID1, DELLA and CRE1, for regulating the development from buds to mature flowers in alfalfa were screened. In addition, differential expression of transcription factors such as MYB, AP2, bHLH, C2C2, MADS-box, NAC, bZIP, B3 and AUX/IAA also played an important role in this process. The results laid a theoretical foundation for studying the molecular mechanisms of the development process from buds to mature flowers in alfalfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Cold and saline‐alkali stress are frequently encountered by plants, and they often occur simultaneously in saline‐alkali soils at mid to high latitudes, constraining forage crop distribution and production. However, the mechanisms by which forage crops respond to the combination of cold and saline‐alkali stress remain unknown. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most essential forage grasses in the world. In this study, we analyzed the complex response mechanisms of two alfalfa species (Zhaodong [ZD] and Blue Moon [BM]) to combined cold and saline‐alkali stress using multi‐omics. The results revealed that ZD had a greater ability to tolerate combined stress than BM. The tricarboxylic acid cycles of the two varieties responded positively to the combined stress, with ZD accumulating more sugars, amino acids, and jasmonic acid. The gene expression and flavonoid content of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were significantly different between the two varieties. Weighted gene co‐expression network analysis and co‐expression network analysis based on RNA‐Seq data suggested that the MsMYB12 gene may respond to combined stress by regulating the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. MsMYB12 can directly bind to the promoter of MsFLS13 and promote its expression. Moreover, MsFLS13 overexpression can enhance flavonol accumulation and antioxidant capacity, which can improve combined stress tolerance. These findings provide new insights into improving alfalfa resistance to combined cold and saline‐alkali stress, showing that flavonoids are essential for plant resistance to combined stresses, and provide theoretical guidance for future breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to screen for high-yielding hybrid combinations of male-sterile alfalfa lines. A total of 10 hybrid combinations were prepared with one alfalfa male sterile line (MS-GN) as the female parent and 10 excellent alfalfa plants (Alfalfa 354-05, Cavalier-02, Gannong NO. 8-04, Alfalfa 440-02, Queen-25, Alfalfa 319-01, Longdong Alfalfa-06, Alfalfa 343-02, Algonkin-19, and Suntory-74) as the male parents, and the numbers were M×1, M×2, M×3, M×4, M×5, M×6, M×7, M×8, M×9, and M×10. The high-yield hybrid combinations were screened by measuring the plant height, stem diameter, primary branch number, fresh yields and hay yields of the F1 generation of the hybrid combination for two consecutive years, combined with the analysis of general compounding ability. The results showed that M×4 had the highest two-year average plant height, which was significantly higher than that of M×7, M×3, M×5, M×8 and M×10 (P<0.05). The two-year average stem diameter of M×6 was the highest, and the two-year average primary branch number of M×1 was the highest. M×1 and M×6 had the highest two-year average hay yield of 2.02 kg/plant, while M×4 and M×1 had the highest two-year average hay yield of 0.60 kg/plant. Plant height, stem diameter, and primary branch number were positively correlated with grass yield, and plant height and primary branch number were significantly or extremely correlated with fresh yield and hay yield (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The cluster analysis of yield traits divided the hybrid combinations into four categories, among which the combinations with better yield traits were M×1, M×6, and M×4, which were consistent with the results of the comprehensive analysis of grey correlation degree. In the general compounding ability (GCA) effect value, M×4 had the highest plant height, M×6 had the highest stem diameter, M×1 had the highest number of first-order branches, M×1 and M×6 had the highest yield, and M×1 and M×4 had the highest hay yield. The results showed that M×1, M×4, and M×6 had better comprehensive performance in yield traits among the hybrid combinations, and they were high-yield hybrid combinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to screen high quality alfalfa varieties suitable for planting in northeast China, 130 alfalfa varieties at home and abroad and newly selected varieties were used as the research materials. The seeds at germination stage were alkali stress treated with 30 mmol/L Na2CO3 and 50 mmol/L NaHCO3, respectively. Comprehensive evaluation of alkali stress of alfalfa varieties were analyzed by detecting germination index and subordinate function analysis. The results showed that the average relative germination rates of 130 alfalfa species under Na2CO3 and NaHCO3 stress were 68.54% and 79.17%, respectively. The relative germination vigor were 57.30% and 65.78% respectively. The relative root length was 23.70% and 17.61%, respectively. The relative bud length was 53.21% and 46.37%, respectively. Through the analysis of membership function, it was found that the seeds of seven varieties of LJ112, LJ66, LJ33, 5010, DARA, Nongjing 1 and Juneng salt-tolerant had good germination trend under two alkali stresses. By calculating the comprehensive membership function values of 130 alfalfa varieties under two alkali stresses, it can be seen that Nongjing 1 and LJ33 have the best germination and growth under two alkali stresses. The study indicates that this experiment is beneficial for guiding the cultivation of alfalfa and providing germplasm resources for the breeding of alkali tolerance alfalfa varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High temperature stress is one of the most severe forms of abiotic stress in alfalfa. With the intensification of climate change, the frequency of high temperature stress will further increase in the future, which will bring challenges to the growth and development of alfalfa. Therefore, untargeted metabolomic and RNA-Seq profiling were implemented to unravel the possible alteration in alfalfa seedlings subjected to different temperature stress (25 ℃, 30 ℃, 35 ℃, 40 ℃) in this study. Results revealed that High temperature stress significantly altered some pivotal transcripts and metabolites. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) markedly up and down-regulated was 1876 and 1524 in T30_vs_CK, 2, 815 and 2667 in T35_vs_CK, and 2115 and 2, 226 in T40_vs_CK, respectively. The number for significantly up-regulated and down-regulated differential metabolites was 173 and 73 in T30_vs_CK, 188 and 57 in T35_vs_CK, and 220 and 66 in T40_vs_CK, respectively. It is worth noting that metabolomics and transcriptomics co-analysis characterized enriched in plant hormone signal transduction (ko04705), glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism (ko00630), from which some differentially expressed genes and differential metabolites participated. In particular, the content of hormone changed significantly under T40 stress, suggesting that maintaining normal hormone synthesis and metabolism may be an important way to improve the HTS tolerance of alfalfa. The qRT-PCR further showed that the expression pattern was similar to the expression abundance in the transcriptome. This study provides a practical and in-depth perspective from transcriptomics and metabolomics in investigating the effects conferred by temperature on plant growth and development, which provided the theoretical basis for breeding heat-resistant alfalfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaves are a key forage part for livestock, and the aging of leaves affects forage biomass and quality. Preventing or delaying premature leaf senescence leads to an increase in pasture biomass accumulation and an improvement in alfalfa quality. NAC transcription factors have been reported to affect plant growth and abiotic stress responses. In this study, 48 NAC genes potentially associated with leaf senescence were identified in alfalfa under dark or salt stress conditions. A phylogenetic analysis divided MsNACs into six subgroups based on similar gene structure and conserved motif. These MsNACs were unevenly distributed in 26 alfalfa chromosomes. The results of the collinearity analysis show that all of the MsNACs were involved in gene duplication. Some cis-acting elements related to hormones and stress were screened in the 2-kb promoter regions of MsNACs. Nine of the MsNAC genes were subjected to qRT-PCR to quantify their expression and Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression to verify their functions. The results indicate that Ms.gene031485, Ms.gene032313, Ms.gene08494, and Ms.gene77666 might be key NAC genes involved in alfalfa leaf senescence. Our findings extend the understanding of the regulatory function of MsNACs in leaf senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article re-evaluates a failed large irrigation enterprise and agricultural plantation in the Khanate of Khiva, an Imperial Russian protectorate in contemporary Uzbekistan, during the 1910s. Co-initiated by Russian entrepreneurs and the Khivan government, this project has been considered one of several lucrative, speculative ventures by Russian capitalists exploiting imperial privileges. This article demonstrates that the entrepreneurs involved in the dacha Lawzan enterprise possessed adequate capital and technology for this large-scale project. However, the project was hampered by legal restrictions put in place by the imperial government and by lingering conflict with nomads in the Khanate and ultimately failed. The case of dacha Lawzan exemplifies government–entrepreneur tension in the colonial territories of Imperial Russia, which impeded the economic development projects initiated by local governments to attract private capital to irrigation and cotton cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widely planted legume forage and one of the most economically valuable crops in the world. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT), a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme, plays crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. To date, there has been no comprehensive bioinformatics investigation conducted on the SHMT genes in M. sativa. Results: Here, we systematically analyzed the phylogenetic relationship, expansion pattern, gene structure, cis-acting elements, and expression profile of the MsSHMT family genes. The result showed that a total of 15 SHMT members were identified from the M. sativa genome database. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the MsSHMTs can be divided into 4 subgroups and conserved with other plant homologues. Gene structure analysis found that the exons of MsSHMTs ranges from 3 to 15. Analysis of cis-acting elements found that each of the MsSHMT genes contained different kinds of hormones and stress-related cis-acting elements in their promoter regions. Expression and function analysis revealed that MsSHMTs expressed in all plant tissues. qRT-PCR analysis showed that MsSHMTs induced by ABA, Salt, and drought stresses. Conclusions: These results provided definite evidence that MsSHMTs might involve in growth, development and adversity responses in M. sativa, which laid a foundation for future functional studies of MsSHMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Naringenin is a plant polyphenol, widely explored due to its interesting biological activities, namely anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. Due to its potential applications and attempt to overcome the industrial demand, there has been an increased interest in its heterologous production. The microbial biosynthetic pathway to produce naringenin is composed of tyrosine ammonia-lyase (TAL), 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and chalcone isomerase (CHI). Herein, we targeted the efficient de novo production of naringenin in Escherichia coli by performing a step-by-step validation and optimization of the pathway. For that purpose, we first started by expressing two TAL genes from different sources in three different E. coli strains. The highest p-coumaric acid production (2.54 g/L) was obtained in the tyrosine-overproducing M-PAR-121 strain carrying TAL from Flavobacterium johnsoniae (FjTAL). Afterwards, this platform strain was used to express different combinations of 4CL and CHS genes from different sources. The highest naringenin chalcone production (560.2 mg/L) was achieved by expressing FjTAL combined with 4CL from Arabidopsis thaliana (At4CL) and CHS from Cucurbita maxima (CmCHS). Finally, different CHIs were tested and validated, and 765.9 mg/L of naringenin was produced by expressing CHI from Medicago sativa (MsCHI) combined with the other previously chosen genes. To our knowledge, this titer corresponds to the highest de novo production of naringenin reported so far in E. coli. Key points: • Best enzyme and strain combination were selected for de novo naringenin production. • After genetic and operational optimizations, 765.9 mg/L of naringenin was produced. • This de novo production is the highest reported so far in E. coli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa is one of the most important and the most cultivated crop due to its high nutritive quality and yield, but adaptation of alfalfa genotypes differ in terms of mobile aluminium stress in the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the tolerance to mobile Al concentrations in the laboratory and in the naturally acidic soil and select the promising genotypes based on agro-biological traits. In 2019, a laboratory experiment was conducted at the Institute of Agriculture of LAMMC. The experiment in the acidic soil with different mobile Al concentrations was conducted at the Vėžaičiai Branch of LAMMC. In 2020, the crops of alfalfa genotypes (11 cultivars and 3 populations) were established on Balthygleyic Dystric Retisol. The agro-biological traits were assessed during the 2021–2022 season. The tolerance index of hypocotyls and roots was evaluated using the filter-based screening method at different AlCl3 (0.0–64 mM) concentrations. The study results of the filter-based screening method showed that the genotype Žydrūnė, Malvina, Jõgeva 118, Skriveru, and 3130 were the most tolerant ones and the hypocotyl tolerance index of these genotypes was higher compared to medium tolerant genotypes Birutė, PGR12489, Europe and AJ2024 at 8, 16, 32 and 64 mM AlCl3 concentrations. The hypocotyl and root tolerance index of medium tolerant genotypes was higher compared to a sensitive genotype PGR10249 at 8 and 16 mM AlCl3. The study of cluster analysis with mobile Al 0.0–65.0 mg kg-1 showed that the genotypes Žydrūnė, Europe, AJ2024 and 3130 were the best in terms of wintering and spring regrowth, the cultivar Malvina had the best value of wintering, height before flowering and stem number, the cultivar Birutė had the best value of spring regrowth, height before flowering and seed yield, and the cultivar Skriveru had the best value of spring regrowth, height before flowering, stem number and seed yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sowing date and soil fertility are very important factors in the overwintering and production performance of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), yet there's a knowledge gap in knowledge on how late-seeded alfalfa responds to phosphorus (P) fertilization. A field study was conducted in Inner Mongolia from 2020 to 2022 using a split-plot design. The main plots consisted of five sowing dates (31 July, 8, 16, and 24 August, and 1 September), while the subplots involved five P application rates (0, 40, 70, 100, and 130 kg P2O5 ha−1). Throughout the growing seasons, the overwintering rate, root traits, forage yield, and yield components were measured. The results revealed a consistent decrease in overwintering ability and productivity with the delayed sowing. This reduction in overwintering rate was mainly due to diminished root traits, while the decrease in forage yield was largely associated with a reduction in plants per square meter. However, P fertilizer application to late-seeded alfalfa demonstrated potential in enhancing the diameter of both the crown and taproot, thus strengthening the root system and improving the overwintering rate, the rate of increase ranges from 11.6 to 49%. This adjustment could also improve the shoots per square meter and mass per shoot, increasing by 9.4–31.3% and 15.0–27.1% respectively in 2 years, which can offset the decline in forage yield caused by late sowing and might even increase the forage yield. Regression and path analysis indicated that alfalfa forage yield is primarily affected by mass per shoot rather than shoots per square meter. This study recommended that the sowing of alfalfa in similar regions of Inner Mongolia should not be later than mid-August. Moreover, applying P fertilizer (P2O5) at 70.6–85.9 kg ha−1 can enhance the forage yield and persistence of late-seeded alfalfa. Therefore, appropriate late sowing combined with the application of P fertilizer can be used as an efficient cultivation strategy for alfalfa cultivation after a short-season crop harvest in arid and cold regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of dual‐purpose alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars into bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is a viable option to extend the grazing season in Southern forage systems. However, data are limited on which harvest management strategy (HMS) optimizes the use of alfalfa‐bermudagrass (ABG) mixtures in the Southern US. A two‐year study evaluated ABG mixtures under three HMS [cut only (CO), graze only (GO), or cut and graze (CG)].in Headland, AL and Tifton, GA. Alfalfa‐bermudagrass mixtures utilized in this evaluation were ‘Bulldog 805’ alfalfa that was interseeded into ‘Tifton 85’ bermudagrass. Treatments were evaluated for forage, animal, and total system performance. Herbage accumulation varied by year and location (p < .01), but the number of harvests ultimately determined the total forage produced. Forage allowance was never limiting but did differ among treatments at Tifton, GA (p = .02). The CG HMS allowed for similar daily (p > .06) and liveweight gains (p > .56) on fewer days of grazing as compared to the GO treatments. The greater alfalfa percentage in the CG HMS translated to greater total digestible nutrients (TDN) and crude protein (CP), though not always statistically different. The CO HMS maximized system performance when evaluated for total gain (actual gains + predicted gains). However, the CG management allowed for more production opportunities across the season, thereby reducing economic risk. Future research should focus on evaluating the economic implications of introducing each HMS into ABG systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to screen suitable alfalfa varieties for cultivation in arid desert oasis regions of Southern Xinjiang. Eight alfalfa varieties were selected as experimental materials, and their production performance, nutritional quality, and autumn regeneration rate were evaluated using plot trials. The grey correlation analysis method was employed to comprehensively evaluate the varieties. The results showed that WL358HQ, Saidi-7, and the tourists each show outstanding performance in dry hay yield for each cutting, annual dry hay yield, and plant height for each cutting. Xinjiang Daye had the highest average CP content, while Sadi-7 had the lowest average ADF and NDF contents. WL903 showed the highest average RFV. The overwintering rate of Xinjiang alfalfa was significantly higher than that of other alfalfa varieties except for Muxu 5020 (P<0.05). Autumn regeneration rate from 0 to 28 days exhibited a significant positive correlation with autumn dormancy class (P<0.05). The comprehensive evaluation results were as follows: Sedi-7> WL903> Large-leaved alfalfa in Xinjiang> Yoke> WL358HQ> WL5252HQ> Crown> Muxu 5020. The study indicates that considering the water, soil, climate, and management level in southern Xinjiang, it is recommended to plant Sedi-7 and Yoke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to study the effects of different mixing ratios of sweet sorghum and alfalfa on the nutrient composition and fermentation quality of mixed silage. The proportion of alfalfa in each group was 0 (T1 group), 20% (T2 group), 40% (T3 group), 60% (T4 group), 80% (T5 group) and 100% (T6 group), and four replicates were set in each group. After 60 days of silage, the sensory, nutrient composition and fermentation parameters of silage in each group were detected. The results showed that the silage treated with T3~T5 groups had strong acid flavor, light yellow color, good stem and leaf structure, and high grade. The pH value of mixed alfalfa and sweet sorghum silage in T6 group was significantly higher than that in T1 group, T3 group, and T4 group (P<0.05). Ammonia nitrogen/total nitrogen in T5 group and T6 group was significantly higher than that in other groups (P<0.05), and T3 group and T4 group were significantly higher than that in T1 group and T2 group (P<0.05). The propionic acid content in T1 group was significantly higher than that in other groups (P<0.05), and the propionic acid content in T2 group was significantly higher than that in T3 group, T4 group, and T6 group (P<0.05). Butyric acid was detected only in group T6 mixed silage, and no butyric acid was detected in other groups. The lactic acid content of T5 group and T6 group was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P<0.05). The organic matter and dry matter of silage in T4 group, T5 group and T6 group were significantly higher than those in T1 group and T2 group (P<0.05). The contentrations of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber in T4 group, T5 group and T6 group were significantly lower than those in T1 group and T2 group (P<0.05). The crude fiber content in T5 group and T6 group was significantly higher than that in T1 group and T2 group (P<0.05). The crude protein content in T2~T6 groups was significantly higher than that in T1 group (P<0.05). The content of soluble carbohydrate in T3~T6 groups was significantly lower than that in T1 group and T2 group (P<0.05). The study indicates that alfalfa and sweet sorghum mixed silage can improve the nutritional value and fermentation quality of silage, and the silage effect is the best when alfalfa accounts for 60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aims to explore the optimal harvesting time for alfalfa in the Tumochuan Plain, providing scientific reference for the large-scale production and application of alfalfa. The experiment was set up with three treatments: bud initiation, early flowering, and full bloom, with each treatment replicated three times. The experiment measure the yield traits, nutritional quality, and economic benefits of alfalfa (WL319HQ) at different harvesting times in the Tumochuan Plain. The results showed that when alfalfa was harvested at the bud stage, the annual dry hay yield was 13 011.60 kg/hm². The contentrations of CP, NDF, and ADF were 20.69%DM, 36.91%DM, and 26.64%DM, respectively, with an RFV of 172.11, and the income ranged from 16 131.34 to 20 034.83 yuan/hm². When harvested at the early flowering stage, the annual dry hay yield was 12 829.81 kg/hm², with CP, NDF, and ADF contentrations of 18.55%DM, 41.03%DM, and 30.70%DM, respectively, an RFV of 147.78, and the income ranged from 11 791.53 to 15, 640.47 yuan/hm². When harvested at the full flowering stage, the annual dry hay yield was 14 444.64 kg/hm², with CP, NDF, and ADF contentations of 16.80%DM, 45.82%DM, and 35.57%DM, respectively, an RFV of 124.40, and the income was less than 9 889.27 yuan/hm². The research indicates that alfalfa harvested at the bud stage on the Tumochuan Plain has higher nutritional value and economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. Variation in feed components contributes to variation and uncertainty of diets delivered to dairy cows. Forages often have a high inclusion rate (50% to 70% of DM fed) and variable composition, and thus are an important contributor to nutrient variability of delivered diets. Our objective was to quantify the variation and identify the main sources of variability in corn silage and alfalfa-grass haylage composition at harvest (fresh forage) and feed-out (fermented forage) on New York dairy farms. Corn silage and alfalfa-grass haylage were sampled on 8 New York commercial dairy farms during harvest in the summer and fall of 2020 and during their subsequent feed-out in the winter and spring of 2021. At harvest, a composite sample of fresh chopped forage of every 8-ha section of individual fields was collected from piles delivered for silo filling. During a 16-wk feed-out period, 2 independent samples of each forage were collected 3 times per week. The fields of origin of each forage sample during feed-out were identified and recorded using silo maps created at filling. A mixed-model analysis quantified the variance of corn silage DM, NDF, and starch and haylage DM, NDF, and CP content. Fixed effects included soil type, weather conditions, and management practices during harvest and feed-out, and random effects were farm, silo unit, field, and day. At harvest, between-farm variability was the largest source of variation for both corn silage and haylage, but within-farm sources of variation exceeded farm-to-farm variation for haylage at feed-out. At feed-out, haylage DM and NDF content had higher within-farm variability than corn silage. In contrast, corn silage starch showed higher within-farm variation at feed-out than haylage CP content. For DM content at feed-out, day-to-day variation was the most relevant source of within-farm variation for both forages. However, for the nutrient components at feed-out (NDF and CP for haylage; NDF and starch for corn silage) silo-to-silo variation was the largest source of variability. Weather conditions systematically explained a proportion of the farm-to-farm variability for both forages at harvest and feed-out. We concluded that because of the high farm-to-farm variation, corn silage and haylage must be sampled on individual farms. We also concluded that due to the high silo-to-silo variability, and the still significant day-to-day and field-to-field variability within-farm, corn silage and haylage should be sampled within individual silos to better capture changes in forage components at feed-out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable management of potassium nutrition in alfalfa crop production is one of the major key factors for achieving optimum seed and biomass yields. An inappropriate supply of mineral potassium nutrition in alfalfa production could result in a decrease in biomass and grain yield production, leading to luxury consumption with cost implications. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial leguminous forage crop known for its high protein content, nutritive value, biomass yield production, soil-improving abilities, and livestock feed. Potassium nutrition plays a crucial role in alfalfa production by influencing several physiological processes essential for biomass yield, growth, development, photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance. Although several studies have been conducted regarding the role of potassium nutrition in agriculture productivity, only limited research has focused on crop-specific impacts. Therefore, this paper reviews (i) the significant role potassium nutrition plays in alfalfa production along with its implications for quality, yield, growth, and resistance to abiotic stress; (ii) the factors affecting the availability, absorption, and transport of potassium; (iii) the source of potassium and the consequences of inadequate availability; and (iv) highlights some strategies for mitigating potassium nutrient deficiency to optimize alfalfa productivity and sustainability in agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress is one of the major impediments to plant growth. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can mitigate moisture stress in plants by increasing the ability of plant nutrient uptake and transport. In this study, we investigated the root phenotype, mineral nutrients (in leaves, roots, and soil), soil pH, water saturation deficit (WSD), free water content (FWC), and bound water content (BWC) of leaves of two alfalfa varieties, 'Galalxie Max' (drought-tolerant) and 'Saidi 7' (drought-sensitive), in the presence or absence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 under drought stress conditions. The results showed that water stress negatively affected both cultivar root morphology (total root length, average diameter, total surface area, and volume) and the contents of K and Fe in leaves, roots, and soil. It also reduced the Mn and Zn contents in the soil while increasing the content of Na in the leaves and soil. Additionally, alfalfa plants under drought stress exhibited higher levels of soil pH, WSD, and BWC but lower contents of FWC and ratios of BWC/FWC in the leaves of both cultivars. However, QST713 application significantly enhanced the total root length, average root diameter, and the contents of K and Fe in alfalfa leaves, roots, and soil, as well as the BWC/FWC ratio in leaves under drought stress conditions. A significant reduction in the Na content was detected in QST713-treated alfalfa leaves and soil under drought stress. Furthermore, QST713 application noticeably decreased soil pH and WSD. The current findings showed that QST713 enhanced the water stress tolerance of alfalfa plants by ameliorating root morphology, reducing soil pH, and improving the BWC/FWC ratio, consequently promoting the accumulation of mineral nutrients (mainly K and Fe). Overall, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713 can serve as a potential green fertilizer in sustainable agriculture to improve soil nutrients and enhance plant production under increasing drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering, the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive stage, is vital for reproductive success, affecting forage quality, the yield of aboveground biomass, and seed production in alfalfa. To explore the transcriptomic profile of alfalfa flowering transition, we compared gene expression between shoot apices (SAs) at the vegetative stage and flower buds (FBs) at the reproductive stage by mRNA sequencing. A total of 3,409 DEGs were identified, and based on gene ontology (GO), 42.53% of the most enriched 15 processes were associated with plant reproduction, including growth phase transition and floral organ development. For the former category, 79.1% of DEGs showed higher expression levels in SA than FB, suggesting they were sequentially turned on and off at the two test stages. For the DEGs encoding the components of circadian rhythm, sugar metabolism, phytohormone signaling, and floral organ identity genes, 60.71% showed higher abundance in FB than SA. Among them, MsAP1, an APETALA1 (AP1) homolog of Arabidopsis thaliana, showed high expression in flower buds and co-expressed with genes related to flower organ development. Moreover, ectopic expression of MsAP1 in Arabidopsis resulted in dwarfism and early flowering under long-day conditions. The MsAP1-overexpression plant displayed morphological abnormalities including fused whorls, enlarged pistils, determinate inflorescence, and small pods. In addition, MsAP1 is localized in the nucleus and exhibits significant transcriptional activity. These findings revealed a transcriptional regulation network of alfalfa transition from juvenile phase to flowering and provided genetic evidence of the dual role of MsAP1 in flowering and floral organ development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicago sativa is a high-quality legume forage that is widely cultivated around the world. However, low phosphorus (LP) stress is one of the main limiting factors for its yield and quality. Currently, it is unclear how various alfalfa root types respond to LP stress. Thus, the creeping-rooted M. varia 'Gannong No. 4' (or GN), tap-rooted M. sativa 'Longdong' (or LD), and rhizomatous-rooted M. sativa 'Qingshui' (or QS) were selected to detect changes in growth, metabolites, phytohormones, and organic acids after 34 days of LP stress treatment (0.01 mmol·L−1 KH2PO4). We observed LP stress significantly inhibited plant growth, and 123, 73, and 42 considerably upregulated differential metabolites were categorized into 33, 26, and 20 metabolic pathways in GN, LD, and QS under LP stress, respectively. Amino acids, plant growth regulators, and organic acids are the main metabolites. After 34 d of LP treatment, the plant height, total surface area, leaf length, ground biomass, leaf width, total volume, leaf area, and ZT content of different root types of alfalfa significantly decreased, while the contents of malic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, IAA, ABA, and GA3 significantly increased. The plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, total surface area, total volume, ground biomass, root biomass, the number of different metabolites, and the contents of malic, citric, and oxalic acid, and IAA of GN were significantly higher than those of QS and LD under LP stress. From this point of view, GN was more tolerant than LD and QS under the LP condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field dodder (Cuscuta campestris yuncker) is an important parasitic weed that has negative impacts on the growth and yield of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Effective control of field dodder in alfalfa crops is necessary to reduce yield losses. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of various herbicides on field dodder in a new-seeded alfalfa crop at three locations (Karaj, Jiroft, and Urmia) in Iran during 2020–2021. The herbicides evaluated were imazethapyr (100 g a.i. ha−1), glyphosate (six doses ranging from 143 to 348 g a.i. ha−1 + ammonium sulfate at 8 kg ha−1), and propyzamide (1250, 1500, and 1750 g a.i. ha−1). The results demonstrated that propyzamide at 1750 g a.i. ha−1 provided complete control of field dodder in terms of percentage change in biomass at first (100%) and second (99%) cuttings of alfalfa in Urmia. The imazethapyr at 100 g a.i. ha−1 provided 96 and 87% control at the first and second cuttings, respectively, whereas propyzamide at 1750 g a.i. ha−1 showed the best efficacy in increasing alfalfa biomass at the first (up to 82%) and the second cuttings (up to 81%), depending on the location. Glyphosate provided reasonable control of the field dodder at the first (73%) and the second cutting (82%). However, at higher rates (307 and 348 g a.i. ha−1), it caused significant reductions in alfalfa biomass due to crop injury, especially at the first cutting. The use of propyzamide at 1750 g a.i. ha−1 is recommended for highly effective control of field dodder in alfalfa crops without compromising the crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ITS sections, which are situated inside the ribosomal DNA operon, are recognized for their high levels of diversity and slow rate of evolution, which makes them important for plant phylogenetic studies. The objective of this work is to use the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of 18 alfalfa (Medicago sativa) genotypes/varieties to determine their genetic relationships and to verify possible genetic markers for variety identification and classification. This has been done by validating the secondary structures of the ITS regions and observing the effects of the relationships among the lowest energy state, the total number of possible secondary structure hairpins, and (GC) content. The results indicated that the length of the ITS sequences varied between 426 and 629 nucleotides and that the G + C content of the ITS region varied between 46.6 and 50%. In this study, the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) was used to validate the effectiveness of configuration analysis and revealed that fluctuations in the data accounted for a substantial amount of the observed total variance. Moreover, 94 percent of the genotypes analyzed exhibited a significant degree of variety. This shows that a large fraction of the observed variation is likely attributable to genetic variables. Population four, comprising Bilensoy80, Emily, Quin, Vendor, and Felicia, had the highest degree of heterozygosity at 68.8%, whereas population two, including Gozlu1, Prosementi, Nimet and Local (Van), had the lowest level at 37.5%. The original Shannon's approach as an unbiased estimator employed in population genetics research validated the differences among alfalfa genotypes with the AMOVA analysis results of this study. Individual differences were found to be 59%, whereas population differences were found to be 41%. There have been a few ITS studies on Medicago sativa that have utilized ITS as a phylogenetic marker to estimate connections and define new taxonomic categories (e.g., tribes). However, our research also includes an analysis of the secondary structure of these sequences and the results of this study imply that ITS sequence and secondary structure data can be utilized to understand the intraspecific genetic makeup of different alfalfa varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to gain insight into the response mechanism of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to drought stress by recognizing and analyzing drought-responsive genes in the roots of different root types of alfalfa. The rhizomatous-rooted M. sativa cv.'Qingshui' (QS), tap-rooted M. sativa cv.'Longdong' (LD), and creeping-rooted M. varia cv. 'Gongnong No. 4' (GN) were used to analyze the transcriptome information and physiological characteristics of the root systems of the cultivars under simulated drought stress using PEG-6000. Results: It was found that aridity caused a significant increase in the content of osmotic stress substances and antioxidant enzyme activity. The content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in QS was lower than that in LD and GN under moisture stress, indicating a stronger accumulation capacity of osmotic regulatory substances. Based on sequencing results, 14,475, 9336, and 9243 upregulated DEGs from QS, LD, and GN were annotated into 26, 29, and 28 transcription factor families, respectively. QS showed more DEGs than LD and GN. KEGG enrichment analysis identified that DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways such as amino acid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signaling transduction, and MAPK pathways. This suggests a strong correlation between these pathways and drought stress. The results also show that genes associated with ABA hormone signaling (MS. gene93372, MS. gene072046, and MS. gene012975) are crucial for plant's adaptation to drought stress. Conclusions: These genes, such as serine/threonine protein kinases and abscisic acid receptors, play a crucial role in plant hormone signaling and MAPK pathways. They could serve as potential candidate genes for drought resistance research in alfalfa, providing a molecular foundation for studying drought resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] To improve the quality production level of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and high-quality development of green animal husbandry in northern Shanxi, it is necessary to adjust the crop structure of alfalfa to adapt to the impact of climate change. [Method] Based on the method of Penman-Monteith equation modified by FAO, daily data of average temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed and sunshine duration at 6 meteorological stations in northern of Shanxi Province from 1972 to 2019 and the growth period data of Alfalfa were selected to analyze the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of water requirement of Alfalfa and the impact of climate change. [Result] The results showed that the largest water requirement of alfalfa in growing season mainly concentrated in Huairen City and Shanyin County. Then Ying County, Pinglu District and Shuocheng District in the middle; Youyu County has the smallest ecological water requirement. The water requirement of alfalfa significantly decreased as a whole, the annual water requirement of alfalfa in northern of Shanxi Province was 751 mm and the average decrease was 11 mm/10 a. [Conclusion] The water requirement of alfalfa was closely related to local meteorological conditions. Compared with other meteorological elements, the variations of wind speed and sunshine duration had more important effects on water requirement of alfalfa in northern of Shanxi. The increasing temperature increased the water requirement of alfalfa, the increase of water requirement in different regions was not completely equivalent, and the impact of climate warming on water requirement in mountainous areas and cold regions was more obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silvopastoral systems are widely used for ecological vegetation restoration in fragile areas. As the main landform of western Henan, the low hilly areas are experiencing water and soil loss because of human activities. However, the effect of silvopastoral systems on soil nutrients in low hilly areas has not been well studied. To address this issue, we established a silvopastoral experiment in the low hilly area of western Henan province in 2011, where four plots of pure forest of poplar (Populus simonii, PS), oriental thuja (Platycladus orientalis, PO), Chinese cork oak (Quercus variabilis, QV) and false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia, RP) was planted on a natural wasteland; perennial alfalfa (Medicago sativa, MS) was intercropped with these pure forest plots as silvopastoral treatments, i.e., PS-MS, PO-MS, QV-MS and RP-MS; one plot of natural wasteland as CK. In 2018, 2019 and 2020, we examined the soil total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) of different vegetation restorations. Results showed that the silvopastoral treatments (PO-MS, QV-MS and RP-MS) generally increased the TC and TN (by ~ 53% and ~ 51% in 2018, ~ 66% and ~ 49% in 2019, and ~ 66% and ~ 67% in 2020, respectively) compared to the pure forest treatments, and were also higher than the M and PS-MS. The change in relative TC and TN between downslope and upslope positions is higher in PS and PO, lower in RP compared to the PS-MS and PO-MS, RP-MS respectively, and non-different between QV and QV-MS. In summary, soil nutrient properties are generally higher but vary among the slope positions in the silvopastoral treatments compared to pure forest treatments in the low hilly area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollutant degradation and heavy-metal resistance may be important features of the rhizobia, making them promising agents for environment cleanup biotechnology. The degradation of phenanthrene, a three-ring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), by the rhizobial strain Rsf11 isolated from the oil-polluted rhizosphere of alfalfa and the influence of nickel ions on this process were studied. On the basis of whole-genome and polyphasic taxonomy, the bacterium Rsf11 represent a novel species of the genus Neorhizobium, so the name Neorhizobium phenanthreniclasticum sp. nov. was proposed. Analysis of phenanthrene degradation by the Rsf1 strain revealed 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid as the key intermediate and the activity of two enzymes apparently involved in PAH degradation. It was also shown that the nickel resistance of Rsf11 was connected with the extracellular adsorption of metal by EPS. The joint presence of phenanthrene and nickel in the medium reduced the degradation of PAH by the microorganism, apparently due to the inhibition of microbial growth but not due to the inhibition of the activity of the PAH degradation enzymes. Genes potentially involved in PAH catabolism and nickel resistance were discovered in the microorganism studied. N. phenanthreniclasticum strain Rsf11 can be considered as a promising candidate for use in the bioremediation of mixed PAH–heavy-metal contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Acta Prataculturae Sinica is the property of Acta Prataculturae Sinica Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To assess the biocontrol potential of Nigrospora oryzae against Solanum rostratum, the effects of different medium components and fermentation conditions on the biomass of N. oryzae were investigated to determine the optimal medium composition and fermentation conditions. Subsequently, the pathogenicity of S. rostratum increased after artificial inoculation of S. rostratum with N. oryzae. Additionally, the safety of N. oryzae fermentation on seven crops were evaluated. The results revealed that the optimal shake flask culture ratio for N. oryzae was lactose:glycerol:yeast extract:(NH4)2SO4 = 2:2:1:2. The optimal fermentation conditions were as follows: 15 mL of inoculum, 75 mL of fermentation liquid in a 150 mL shake flask, an initial pH of 5.0, a culture temperature of 20 °C, and 4 days of culture. The disease index of S. rostratum after spraying with N. oryzae fermentation agent was 60.00, indicating strong pathogenicity to S. rostratum. Safety evaluation revealed that N. oryzae exhibited no symptoms on Zea mays, S. melongena, Festuca arundinacea, Bromus inermis, or Medicago sativa but showed moderate susceptibility to Triticum aestivum and S. lycopersicum. This study represents the first exploration of the biocontrol potential of N. oryzae against S. rostratum. These findings suggest the potential of N. oryzae for development as a microbial herbicide targeting S. rostratum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silage preservation is critical for livestock's stable forage supply during cold seasons and fostering the recycling of agricultural byproducts. We assessed the effects of adding previously fermented juices (PFJ) and different proportions of Sorghum Sudanense (Piper) Stapf (Sudan grass) on the silage quality of Medicago sativa L. (alfalfa). A 50% alfalfa and 50% Sudan grass (M50) mixture exhibited superior performance in sensory evaluation and fermentation quality. The addition of PFJ (PFJI group) further enhanced quality, and increasing the proportion of alfalfa improved the nutritional quality. However, PFJI had no significant effect on the degradation rates of these nutritional indicators (p > 0.05). As alfalfa proportion increased, the disappearance rates of dry matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber in silage increased. Principal component, correlation, and membership function analyses revealed that treatment with M50 without PFJ (PFJ0+M50) had the best effect, followed by treatment with 25% alfalfa and 75% Sudan grass (PFJ0+M25) and 100% alfalfa (PFJ0+M0). Therefore, the mixing ratio of alfalfa and Sudan grass should be maintained between 25% and 50% to optimize the nutritional and fermentation qualities of silage. These findings offer crucial guidance for alfalfa silage preparation, promoting enhanced livestock industry productivity and sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco faces a growing waste issue due to population growth, economic expansion, and industrialization, leading to environmental concerns, especially regarding leachate. From 1986 to 2022, Casablanca's main landfill produced a total of 800,000 m² of leachate, which was stored in evaporation ponds, posing significant environmental risks. Our research not only concentrates on traditional chemical analyses for leachate assessments but also emphasizes ecosystem interactions. Phytotoxicity tests assess the impact of contaminants, particularly heavy metals, complementing traditional chemical analyses. Our study investigated the accumulation of these contaminants in the soil and their subsequent transfer to plant tissues. This research aimed to examine the accumulation of heavy metals, including Pb, Cd, and Hg, in soils irrigated with varying leachate concentrations (C0: control; C1: 5%; C2: 7%; C3: 10%; and C4: 15%). The experiments involved the cultivation of M. sativa plants under open-field conditions. To assess the transfer of metals from soil to plant tissues, the transfer factor (TF) index was calculated. Our findings revealed that Pb, Cd, and Hg exhibited transfer factor ranges of 0.55-0.93, 0.07 to 0.21, and 0.1 to 0.37, respectively. The accumulation of heavy metals at the different leachate concentrations followed the order Pb > Hg > Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated using Hedychium gardnerianum, an invasive plant, combined with dehydrated alfalfa (Medicago sativa) with varying percentages of alfalfa: control (0% alfalfa), T1 (10%), T2 (20%), T3 (30%), and T4 (40%), to enhance nutritional parameters in silage for ruminants in the Azores. Samples were vacuum-sealed and stored for 45 days at room temperature to promote anaerobic fermentation. Chemical analysis showed that alfalfa addition increased dry matter (DM) from 12.33% to 48.04% and crude protein from 11.34% DM to 24.63% DM. Insoluble fiber levels decreased, enhancing digestibility. In vitro fermentation indicated higher gas production in 40% alfalfa silage, suggesting faster fermentation. In conclusion, incorporating dehydrated alfalfa into Hedychium gardnerianum silage particularly enhances nutritional quality and digestibility. This approach offers a practical solution for ruminant feed in the Azores, particularly during feed scarcity periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the wear characteristics of the die were tested and analyzed through compaction tests, and the distribution of wear depth along the direction toward the extrusion outlet was obtained. A discrete element method (DEM) model of the die's wear process was established. The results show that the severe wear area is located near the stop position of the compression rod, forming a plow-shaped wear area along the extrusion direction, accompanied by fatigue peeling. The wear depth gradually decreases towards the extrusion outlet. The DEM model partially reveals the occurrence of the wear phenomenon, but the particle motion speed deviates from the actual situation. The maximum compression force value range during the DEM compression stage is within the actual maximum compression force value range, and the relative error range of the average maximum compression force is less than 2%. By verifying the formula to calibrate the model, the calibrated model is compared with the actual mold wear, and the predicted value is close to the actual test result. The DEM can be used to explore the wear mechanism and predict the die's wear failure process, laying the foundation for optimizing die wear resistance design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)