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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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.)

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]

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]

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.)

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.)

Water is an important constraint on alfalfa (Medicago sativa) production in arid and semiarid areas, and alternate irrigation in root areas has water-saving potential for alfalfa production. To investigate the impact of alternate partial root-zone irrigation (APRI) on the rhizosphere soil microorganisms of alfalfa, this study subjected alfalfa plants to different irrigation methods and irrigation levels. The growth status and rhizosphere soil microbial community diversity of alfalfa plants under alternate root-zone watering treatment were analyzed through laboratory experiments and high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that at soil moisture levels of 80% field moisture capacity (FMC) and 60% FMC, APRI had no significant impact on the biomass or nodule number of alfalfa. However, 40% FMC significantly reduced the individual plant dry weight, chlorophyll content, and nodule number of the alfalfa plants. APRI increased the relative abundance of Actinomycetes in the alfalfa rhizosphere soil. Moreover, at 60% FMC, the MBC and MBN of rhizosphere, relative abundance of Actinobacteria and unclassified K fungi and Chao 1 index of bacteria significantly increased under APRI treatment. While relative abundance of Ascomycetes and Proteobacteria in the alfalfa rhizosphere significantly reduced under 60% FMC + APRI treatment. In summary, under the same irrigation conditions, APRI did not significantly affect the growth of alfalfa in the short term. And 60%FMC + APRI treatment did significantly affect the groups, structure and diversity of the rhizosphere soil microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Lucerne (Medicago sativa), is a cornerstone of China's livestock industry, however, due to the backward agronomic strategies and technology, lucerne in China faces cultivation challenges that result in lower productivity and quality than global standards. Therefore, we undertook a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of five distinct fertilization types on lucerne yield and nutritional quality in various locations in China. The fertilizer practices included manure application, combined mineral fertilizer and manure application (FM), biological fertilizer application, unbalanced application of two or more mineral fertilizer types, and balanced mineral fertilizer application. Furthermore, we investigate influential factors of yield and quality of lucerne under fertilization, including climatic variables (mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature), initial soil properties (soil organic carbon; total nitrogen, pH), and agronomic factors (seeding rate, harvest frequency, and lucerne stand age). Methods: Our study analyzed 53 published papers to discern the most beneficial fertilizer for enhancing lucerne yield and nutritional quality. Results and discussion: The results showed that the fertilizer practices, on average, significantly improved yield by 31.72% and crude protein content by 11.29%, with FM emerging as the most effective, this is because mineral fertilizers provide available nutrients for lucerne, manure provides essential organic matter for microorganisms and improve soil properties. In addition, the fertilizer practices significantly reduced neutral and acid detergent fiber contents by 6.28% and 8.50%, respectively, while increasing ash content and relative feeding value. Furthermore, climatic variables, soil properties, and planting system factors such as sowing date and harvest frequency significantly affected yield and nutritional quality. The practical implications of our results emphasize the need for balanced and strategic fertilizer application to optimize lucerne production and highlight the potential to adjust cultivation practices according to environmental conditions. Balanced and strategic fertilizer application can simultaneously improve soil properties, enhance soil carbon sequestration, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases from the soil, which is a vital measure for realizing sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) ‐ grass or alfalfa ‐ sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) mixtures are commonly used for pastures in western Canada because of their high forage quality and their low risk of causing frothy bloat in grazing animals. However, the proportion of these two legumes declines in mixed forage stands over time. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of selecting superior genotypes from clonally propagated alfalfa or sainfoin under plant competition in different growth environments. For this study, around 100 genotypes of each legume were cloned and transplanted into meadow bromegrass (Bromus riparius Relm.) or alfalfa swards at Saskatoon, SK and Lethbridge, AB, Canada in 2017. Genotype‐environment (G x E) interactions of alfalfa and sainfoin genotypes were analysed by an additive main‐effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model. Significant variations in plant height, spring vigour and total dry matter yield (TDM) were observed for both species. Among the measured traits, plant height was a more highly heritable trait (H2 = .16 for alfalfa and H2 = .18 for sainfoin), while TDM was the least heritable (H2 = .08 for alfalfa and H2 = .04 for sainfoin). In the AMMI Analysis of variance for TDM, the genotype explained <12% of the variation for both species, suggesting a direct selection of yield would result in a low genetic gain. The biplot mean performance (Y) x weighted average of absolute scores from the singular value decomposition of the matrix of BLUPs stability index (WAASB) identified several promising genotypes with superior performance and stability across different environments that were selected for producing synthetic lines. However, the synthetic lines of both alfalfa and sainfoin did not consistently exhibit superior performance in mixtures compared to their respective check cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article follows-up on our recently published work, which evaluated the impact of the addition of an alfalfa leaf-derived adsorbent in the aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)-contaminated diet in regard to the production parameters, blood cell count, serum biochemistry, liver enzymes, and liver histology of turkey poults. This paper presents complementary results on microbial community, ileal morphology, barrier function, and immunity. For this purpose, 350 1-day-old female turkey poults were randomly distributed into five groups: (1) Control, AFB1-free diet; (2) AF, AFB1-contaminated diet at 250 ng/g; (3) alfalfa, AFB1-free diet + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent; (4) alfalfa + AF, AFB1-contaminated diet at 250 ng/g + 0.5% (w/w) adsorbent; and (5) YCW + AF, AFB1-contaminated diet at 250 ng/g + 0.5% (w/w) commercial yeast cell wall-based adsorbent (reference group). In general, in the AF group, the growth of opportunistic pathogens was promoted, which lead to gut dysbacteriosis, mainly influenced by Streptococcus lutetiensis. Conversely, a significant increase in beneficial bacteria (Faecalibacterium and Coprococcus catus) was promoted by the addition of the plant-based adsorbent. Moreover, the AF group had the lowest villus height and a compromised barrier function, as evidenced by a significant (p < 0.05) increase in fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran (FITC-d), but these negative effects were almost reversed by the addition of the alfalfa adsorbent. Furthermore, the AF + YCW and alfalfa + AF groups exhibited a significant increase in the cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity response compared to the rest of the experimental groups. Taken together, these results pointed out that the alfalfa counteracts the adverse effects of AFB1 in poults, facilitating the colonization of beneficial bacteria and improving the barrier function of the turkey poults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing adequate levels of plant available P in soil is an important management practice for boosting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yields and nutritive value. Although several ways of supplementing P at various stages of plant growth are in practice, pre-plant application of P through various organic and inorganic nutrient sources are largely under-investigated. Therefore, a three-year study was conducted at the New Mexico State University Rex. E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center, Tucumcari, NM USA, to investigate the impact of manure (pre-plant applied @ 22.5 Mg ha−1vs. no manure) and inorganic P sources (00-46-00 or 11-52-00) applied to soil either in one-time bulk (336 kg P2O5 ha−1 preplant incorporated) or split applications (112 kg P2O5 ha−1 preplant incorporated with an additional 112 kg P2O5 ha−1 surface-applied annually) on the yield and nutritive value of alfalfa and residual soil characteristics. Results demonstrated that pre-plant manure application had statistically no advantage in improving the alfalfa forage yield compared to control (p > 0.05), although there was strong evidence of a consistent yield increase trend in all manure treatments. Forage nutritive value parameters such as ADF (Acid Detergent Fiber), NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber), K, and Zn were significantly improved by manure supplementation. Manure application improved most soil quality parameters, especially the soil Nitrate-N, Olsen P, K, S, and Zn contents. Inorganic P fertilizer type or application strategy had no significant impact on alfalfa yield and nutritive value and soil characteristics. Most interactions (both two-way and three-way) among the tested treatments had no significant impact on the study parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the selenium (Se) intake of the general public, the present study implemented biofortification techniques in alfalfa sprouts. Alfalfa sprouts possess unique nutritional value and provide an optimal Se-enriched supplemental Se source. The impact of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on alfalfa shoot germination, shoot length, and biomass was assessed experimentally, and changes in the antioxidant capacity of sprouts treated with optimal Se concentrations were investigated. In addition, the transcriptome of alfalfa sprouts treated with the optimal Na2SeO3 concentration was sequenced. Gene co-expression networks, constructed through differential gene analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis, were used to identify the core genes responsible for Se enrichment in alfalfa sprouts. The findings of the present study offer novel insights into the effects of Se treatment on the nutrient composition of alfalfa sprouts, in addition to introducing novel methods and references that could facilitate production of Se-enriched alfalfa sprouts and associated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crude protein (CP) content is an important determining factor for the quality of alfalfa, and its accurate and rapid evaluation is a challenge for the industry. A model was developed by combining Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIS) and chemometric analysis. Fourier spectra were collected in the range of 4000~400 cm−1. Adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares (airPLS) and Savitzky–Golay (SG) were used for preprocessing the spectral data; competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and the characteristic peaks of CP functional groups and moieties were used for feature selection; partial least squares regression (PLSR) and random forest regression (RFR) were used for quantitative prediction modelling. By comparing the combined prediction results of CP content, the predictive performance of airPLST-cars-PLSR-CV was the best, with an R P 2 of 0.99 and an RMSEP of 0.053, which is suitable for establishing a small-sample prediction model. The research results show that the combination of the PLSR model can achieve an accurate prediction of the crude protein content of alfalfa forage, which can provide a reliable and effective new detection method for the crude protein content of alfalfa forage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) content affects aboveground maize growth and nutrient absorption by altering the belowground rhizospheric ecosystem, impacting both yield and quality. However, the mechanisms through which different N supply methods (chemical and biological N supplies) regulate the belowground rhizospheric ecosystem to enhance maize yield remain unclear. To address this issue, we conducted a field experiment in northeast China, comprising three treatments: maize monocropping without N fertilizer application (MM), maize/alfalfa intercropping without N fertilizer application (BNF), and maize monocropping with N fertilizer application (CNS). The MM treatment represents the control, while the BNF treatment represents the biological N supply form, and CNS treatment represents the chemical N supply form. In the autumn of 2019, samples of maize and rhizospheric soil were collected to assess parameters including yield, rhizospheric soil characteristics, and microbial indicators. Both BNF and MM significantly increased maize yield and different yield components compared with MM, with no statistically significant difference in total yield between BNF and CNS. Furthermore, BNF significantly improved N by 12.61% and available N (AN) by 13.20% compared with MM. Furthermore, BNF treatment also significantly increased the Shannon index by 1.90%, while the CNS treatment significantly increased the Chao1 index by 28.1% and ACE index by 29.49%, with no significant difference between CNS and BNF. However, CNS had a more pronounced impact on structure of the rhizosphere soil bacterial community compared to BNF, inducing more significant fluctuations within the microbial network (modularity index and negative cohesion index). Regarding N transformation pathways predicted by bacterial functions, BNF significantly increased the N fixation pathway, while CNS significantly increased assimilatory nitrate reduction. In CNS, AN, NO3‐N, NH4‐N, assimilatory nitrate reduction, and community structure contributed significantly to maize yield, whereas in BNF, N fixation, community structure, community stability, NO3‐N, and NH4‐N played significant roles in enhancing maize yield. While CNS and BNF can achieve comparable maize yields in practical agricultural production, they have significantly different impacts on the belowground rhizosphere ecosystem, leading to different mechanisms of yield enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forage hay yield, land equivalent ratio, inter-specific competitiveness and relative biomass of alfalfa and annual or perennial grass under different forage combinations, seeding ratio and planting methods were studied. The results showed that the seeding amount of herbage in the year of planting affected the yield of different kinds of herbage. In the mixed sowing mode of alfalfa and oat, the combination of 40% alfalfa + 60% oat performed better, the hay weight was 247 g / m 2, the land equivalent ratio LER was 1. 1, and the land comprehensive benefit was higher. The combination of 25% alfalfa + 75% grass was better than that of other mixed sowing in the same line, the hay weight was 951 g / m 2 or 758 g / m 2, the land equivalent ratio LER was 1. 2 or 1. 3, and the land comprehensive benefit was higher. The performance of the combination with alfalfa and grass with the row ratio of 9 ∶ 3 was better among different mixed sowing combinations in different rows, and the hay weight was 964 g / m ² or 877 g / m ², respectively. And the growth competition among different kinds of grasses was weaker, which was conducive to the persistence of artificial grassland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) experiences many negative effects under salinity stress, which may be mediated by recurrent selection. Salt-tolerant alfalfa may display unique adaptations in association with rhizobium under salt stress. Results: To elucidate inoculation effects on salt-tolerant alfalfa under salt stress, this study leveraged a salt-tolerant alfalfa population selected through two cycles of recurrent selection under high salt stress. After experiencing 120-day salt stress, mRNA was extracted from 8 random genotypes either grown in 0 or 8 dS/m salt stress with or without inoculation by Ensifer meliloti. Results showed 320 and 176 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) modulated in response to salinity stress or inoculation x salinity stress, respectively. Notable results in plants under 8 dS/m stress included upregulation of a key gene involved in the Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling pathway with a concomitant decrease in expression of the SNrK pathway. Inoculation of salt-stressed plants stimulated increased transcription of a sulfate-uptake gene as well as upregulation of the Lysine-27-trimethyltransferase (EZH2), Histone 3 (H3), and argonaute (AGO, a component of miRISC silencing complexes) genes related to epigenetic and post-transcriptional gene control. Conclusions: Salt-tolerant alfalfa may benefit from improved activity of TOR and decreased activity of SNrK1 in salt stress, while inoculation by rhizobiumstimulates production of sulfate uptake- and other unique genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment aimed to explore the effects of different mixing ratios of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and Bromus inermis on the nutritional and fermentation qualities of their mixed silage. Alfalfa and Bromus inermis were used as experimental materials and mixed in fresh weight ratios of 10∶0, 8∶2, 7∶3, 6∶4, 4∶6, 3∶7, 2∶8, and 0∶10 for ensiling, with three replicates for each treatment. After 60 days of storage, the sensory quality, nutritional components, and fermentation quality were tested and analyzed. The fermentation quality was scored using the V-Score scoring system, and grey relational analysis was used to comprehensively evaluate the nutritional and fermentation qualities of the eight groups of mixed silages to determine the optimal mixing ratio for the two forage grasses. The results showed that when alfalfa is mixed with Bromus inermis in a ratio of 6∶4 for ensiling, the silage quality was optimal, with the lowest pH value and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content, and the highest levels of crude protein (CP) and lactic acid (LA), as well as the lowest levels of acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The study indicates that the mixed ensiling of alfalfa and Bromus inermis was superior to the individual ensiling of alfalfa and Bromus inermis. The mixed silage could better exert the advantages of each ensiling raw material, thus better preserving the nutritional components and fermentation quality of the green feed. A mixing ratio of 6∶4 for alfalfa to Bromus inermis is optimal for mixed ensiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to screen and identify tannin-degrading bacteria to provide microbial resources for the biodegradation of condensed tannins and to potentially expand the utilization of alfalfa. A strain capable of degrading condensed tannins was isolated from alfalfa root soil using a tolerance medium with condensed tannins as the sole carbon source. The strain underwent morphological observation, physiological and biochemical characterization, and 16S rDNA gene sequence comparison. The growth curve of the tannin-degrading bacteria was determined, and the effect of the strain on solid-state fermentation of alfalfa was observed. The results showed that the isolated strain was identified as Klebsiella sp., named DN-2. Strain DN-2 entered the logarithmic phase in about 3 hours on a broth culture medium and reached an optical density (OD600 nm value) of 2.405 at 600 nm after 24 hours. In the nutrient broth medium containing condensed tannins, it entered the logarithmic growth phase in about 4.5 hours, reaching the maximum OD600 nm value of 2.35 after 20 hours, overall showing an extended lag phase and a shortened stationary phase for the strain. n-Butanol hydrochloric acid detection results showed that the degradation rate of condensed tannins in the culture fluid by strain DN-2 after 36 hours of growth was as high as 94.2%. The solid-state fermentation of alfalfa by strain DN-2 showed a tannin degradation rate of 59.73% after five days of fermentation treatment, indicating that strain DN-2 had a good degradation effect on condensed tannins in alfalfa. The study indicates that the screening of strain DN-2 has practical significance for the biodegradation of plant-derived condensed tannins and the development of microbial resources, and provides references for expanding the application of alfalfa in animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphatidyl ethanolamine binding protein (PEBP) plays an important role in the formation of flowers. To identify the PEBP gene family of alfalfa in blossom, the PEBP gene family was selected from the transcriptome database of alfalfa with bioinformatics analysis, for their protein properties, functional domains, evolutionary relationships and expression patterns. Methods: A BLASTP search using Arabidopsis PEBP sequences as a query was performed against alfalfa proteome with a minimum identity of 75% and E-value of 1E-5. BLASTP search resulted in 17 protein candidates. Finally, we obtained a consensus list of ten proteins from the HMMER and BLASTP search. Redundant sequences were removed using CD-HIT which resulted in a total of nine PEBP candidates in alfalfa. Result: The results showed that there was a total of nine PEBP candidates in alfalfa, which could be divided into three sub-gene families, such as TFL1-like, MFT-like and FT-like groups. Chromosomal location analyses showed that nine PEBP members are distributed on five of the eight alfalfa chromosomes with chromosome 7 having the largest number of PEBP members (four members) while only three alfalfa PEBP proteins were annotated as MsFTa1, MsFTa2 and MsFTc. In addition, the motifs of this gene family were conservative with few differences in the number and types of conservative motifs. MsFTa1 and MsFTa2 are two strong candidates for florigen in alfalfa, while MsG0480024000.01 is a candidate which functions as a floral repressory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of different LED light quality on the germination of alfalfa seeds and the content of photosynthetic pigments and phenolic compounds in seedlings, so as to provide a basis for further light quality control technology for the sprout vegetable production and industrial production of alfalfa plants. [Methods] The effects of 10 different LED light quality(red light R660 and R630, blue light B450 and B465, green light G520, yellow light Y590, red and blue combination R5B2, R1B1 and R2B5, white light W)on seed germination, seedling growth, anatomy, and phenolic compound synthesis of alfalfa‘WL656'were studied using dark treatment (D) as the control. [Results] Different treatments had no effect on the germination rate, germination potential and germination index of alfalfa seeds. Among monochromatic light treatments, both pure red lights promoted radicle elongation of alfalfa seedlings; B465 treatment significantly increased the stem diameter, epidermal cell thickness, cortical thickness, and individual vessel area of the hypocotyl of seedlings, and B450 significantly increased the diameter of vascular bundles. Different monochromatic light had no significant effect on chlorophyll a content, while the chlorophyll b content was lowest under two different blue light treatments, and the carotenoid content was highest under R660 treatment. Both pure blue lights promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins, total phenols and flavonoids in seedlings, but seedlings contained almost no anthocyanins under G520, Y590 and D treatments. R630 increased the chalcone synthase (CHS) activity in the hypocotyl, and G520 significantly increased the CHS activity in cotyledons. W increased the anthocyanin synthase (ANS) activity in the hypocotyl of seedlings, and Y590 increased the ANS activity in seedlings. Among the three combinations of red and blue light, with the decrease of red light ratio, stem diameter, cortical thickness and CHS activity in hypocotyl decreased, the content of root length, epidermal cell thickness, vascular bundle diameter, and anthocyanins of hypocotyls decreased first and then increased, and the content of photosynthetic pigments and CHS activity in seedling cotyledons increased. The content of total phenols and flavonoids in hypocotyl was highest under R2B5 treatment, and there was no difference in the content of three phenolic compounds in cotyledons. ANS activity in hypocotyl was the highest under R1B1 treatment, and ANS activity in cotyledon was the highest under R5B2 treatment. [Conclusions] Pure red light promoted seedling elongation after seed germination, pure blue light promoted the formation of anthocyanins, flavonoids, and total phenolsin seedlings, and the influence of red and blue combination light on the physiological characteristics of seedlings was more complicated. Taking into account the growth and physiological indicators, this study preliminarily believed that R2B5 treatment was a suitable LED light quality for the growth of alfalfa seedlings as it had moderate growth, high chlorophyll and phenolic content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne fungal species with worldwide distribution and poses serious threats to a wide range of economically important crops such as grain and forage crops. This pathogen has survival capabilities within plants and soil, giving rise to sclerotia and persisting for several months or years. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the most widely grown and important forage crop in China and worldwide. The unique characteristics of alfalfa, such as excellent forage quality, ruminant desirability, and substantial biomass output, distinguish it from other fodder crops, and it is also known as the "Queen of Forages". However, the production of alfalfa is seriously affected by R. solani, with yield losses of 20% to 60% globally. This review firstly summarizes diseases such as seedling damping-off, root rot, crown rot, root cankers, stem cankers, blight, and stem rot caused by R. solani in alfalfa and the survival mechanism of this pathogen. The techniques for R. solani detection and quantification from plants and soils, as well as management through host resistance, cultural practices, fungicides, and biological control, were then overviewed. This review provides scientific knowledge to enable researchers to efficiently manage R. solani in alfalfa production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of agro-grassland, the synergism of phosphate (P) fertilization and Trichoderma inoculation in alfalfa production and the underlying mechanism of rare and abundant microbes that regulate rhizosphere soil processes in various environments are key but rarely studied topics. Here, we conducted field research through the inoculation/noninoculation of Trichoderma and five levels of phosphorus fertilizer to explore the biological relationships of rhizosphere soil properties, rare and abundant taxa, and alfalfa yields. Our results demonstrate that using Trichoderma inoculation and 15 g/m2 of phosphorus fertilizer exhibited optimal alfalfa yield compared with other treatments. alfalfa yields significantly (R2 = 0.33; p < 0.001) increased along with soil fertility. Both rare (RANOSIM = 0.900; p = 0.001) and abundant (RANOSIM = 0.769; p = 0.001) bacterial communities were significantly different under Trichoderma inoculation and P fertilization in a nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis. Furthermore, different ecological processes dominated the rare and abundant bacterial community assembly. PLS-PM analysis showed that Trichoderma inoculation positively regulated the abundant bacteria community and P fertilization regimes manipulated the rare bacteria community, synergistically contributing to alfalfa yields. Overall, this article believes that inoculation with Trichoderma and appropriate application of phosphorus fertilizer can significantly increase alfalfa yield and affect soil enzyme activity, and the rhizosphere soil abundant and rare bacterial community characteristics have different responses to the synergistic effect of Trichoderma and phosphorus fertilizer. Our research emphasizes the fundamental role of abundant and rare microbes in maintaining crop production using Trichoderma inoculation and P fertilization. Therefore, distinguishing rare and abundant species is beneficial to comprehensively understanding microbial-driven processes and providing theoretical support for maintaining ecosystem productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) forage production may be shifting towards the autumn–spring season, or in cooler environments, due to warmer and drier summers in Mediterranean Europe. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of lucerne cultivars with varying winter activity ratings (WAR) and hardiness in divergent environments of Greece: a cool highland versus a warm lowland. Highlywinter-active (HWA) cultivars were compared to semi-winter-active (SWA) ones for dry matter (DM) yield, seasonal harvest ratios, quality, and agronomic parameters. The SWA cultivars exhibited twice as many overwintered plants and higher summer yields, and were more productive (by 10.4%) in the cooler site. Conversely, HWA cultivars showed enhanced autumn yields and greater productivity (by 10.5%) in the warmer site. Notably, stability analyses revealed trade-offs between productivity and stability, with the most stable cultivar showing lower productivity (by 5.3–5.5%). Additionally, SWA cultivars exhibited higher crude protein content. Plant height and node number correlated with yields in the cool site but not in the warm, underscoring their effectiveness as indirect indicators in marginal environments. Outstanding temperature-specific cultivar responses fully justify the negative relation between winter activity and hardiness regarding productivity. This emphasizes the importance of matching cultivar winter activity and hardiness with specific microenvironments. Region-specific early screening could target the decoupling of the association between low winter activity and increased hardiness, enabling the optimization of cultivars for both traits, while interregional advanced line testing could capitalize on stability and resilience to address the challenges of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term storage of coal gangue (CG) mountains causes serious environmental problems such as water and air pollution. Thus, sustainable reclamation practices are urgently needed to minimize the environmental impacts brought by CG mountains. Pikovskaya medium was employed to screen microorganisms, which were subsequently utilized to promote the solubilization of CG. XRF, SEM, XRD, and HPLC techniques were employed to characterize the CG before and after bacterial treatment. In this study, we have successfully isolated and purified a bacterial strain, identified as Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7, which possesses the ability to facilitate the solubilization of nutrient elements from CG. Factors including initial inoculation ratio, incubation time, CG particle size, CG concentration, pH, and temperature were examined to investigate their effects on the biosolubilization of CG. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying the CG solubilization was also probed. Our data demonstrated that low-molecular-weight organic acids, such as acetic acid and formic acid, may harbor a crucial role in promoting the solubilization of CG. Lastly, we found that Stenotrophomonas bentonitica BII-R7, in conjugation with CG, can increase the alfalfa seed germination percentage and promote the growth of alfalfa. Together, these data provide evidence that bacterial-treated CG can be utilized for soil improvement and land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a vitally important perennial fodder legume worldwide. Given their particular traits, alfalfa crop wild relatives (CWRs) could be used to develop cultivars that can tolerate extreme environmental and climatic conditions. Until now, researchers have overlooked the composition and structure of bacterial communities in the root zone of alfalfa and its relevant CWRs and their influence on forage performance under actual field conditions. In this study, high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA analysis was performed to investigate the diversity and assemblies of bacterial communities in the bulk soil and in the root zone of individual field-grown Medicago plants arranged in a honeycomb selection design. The plants used in this study were M. sativa × M. arborea hybrids (Genotypes 6 and 8), the closely-related M. sativa nothosubsp. varia (Martyn) Arcang. (Genotype 13), and M. sativa ssp. sativa (Genotype 20). The bacterial communities in the root-zone samples and the assemblies in the bulk soil differed significantly. Genotype 13 was found to have distinct bacterial assemblies from the other genotypes while exhibiting the lowest forage productivity. These findings suggest that plant productivity may influence the composition of bacterial communities in the root zone. Biomarker analysis conducted using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) revealed that only members of the Rhizobiales order were enriched in the M. sativa nothosubsp. varia root zone whereas taxa belonging to Sphingomonas and various Bacteriodota were enriched in the other genotypes. Of the shared taxa identified in the root zone of the Medicago lines, the abundance of specific taxa, namely, Flavisolibacter, Stenotrophomonas, and Sphingomonas, were positively associated with forage yield. This pioneering study, in which the root zones of individual Medicago plants under actual field conditions were examined, offers evidence of differences in the bacterial composition of alfalfa genotypes with varying genetic backgrounds. Its findings indicate that particular bacterial taxa may favorably influence plant performance. This study covered the first six months of crop establishment and paves the way for further investigations to advance understanding of how shifts in bacterial assemblies in alfalfa roots affect plant performance over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the number of livestock increased in the years following English colonisation of Australia in 1788, the need for nutritious fodder, including lucerne (Medicago sativa), grew. One of the first diseases found on lucerne was a leaf spot which was collected in 1879 by George Bancroft, a physician and naturalist, in a suburb of Brisbane. The Queensland Government Botanist Frederick Manson Bailey sent a specimen to the prominent English mycologists Miles Joseph Berkeley and Christopher Edmund Broome who in 1883 formally described and named the fungus Sphaerella destructiva. That fungus is now known as Pseudopeziza medicaginis , the causal agent of common leaf spot of lucerne. It was one of over 300 fungi that were included in a 1880 paper co-written by the Reverend Julian Tenison-Woods and Frederick Bailey. At that time almost all of these fungi which had been collected in Australia were identified by overseas mycologists, particularly Berkeley and Broome. It can be argued that their 1880 paper was the first significant one published in Australia which focussed on fungi. Just a decade or so later Australian scientists, in particular Daniel McAlpine, were describing new fungal taxa on their own. Among the fungi recorded in a paper published in the 1880 Proceedings of the Linnaean Society of New South Wales was Sphaerella destructiva , now Pseudopeziza medicaginis , the cause of common leaf spot of lucerne. The paper, co-authored by the naturalist Reverend Julian Tenison-Woods and the Queensland Government Botanist Frederick Manson Bailey was the first known comprehensive list of Australian fungi published by Australian residents. It is a milestone in the evolution of mycology and plant pathology studies in Australia. Photograph by H. H. Baily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In arid and semiarid regions, salinity may affect alfalfa (Medicago sativa) productivity and survival due to either cultivation on salt‐affected soils or the use of salinized irrigation water. Exploiting germplasm evolved under salt‐stress conditions offers opportunities for crop tolerance improvement. In the first phase of the current study, four reportedly salt‐tolerant landraces originated from stress‐prone areas of West Asia or North Africa and two reference commercial cultivars underwent three evaluation trials according to different methods, namely, seed germination in saline water, in vitro testing of young plants, and greenhouse evaluation of adult plants in Cone‐tainers. Experimental populations obtained by intercrossing landrace genotypes selected according to each evaluation method were subsequently evaluated under stressful field conditions in two regions featuring different salt stress type, namely, southern Tunisia (irrigation with saline water) and northwestern Argentina (rainfed cropping in saline soil). Landrace ranking for salt tolerance differed somewhat depending on the evaluation method, and the proportion of selected plants per landrace depended accordingly on the method. In each field experiment, there were two evaluation phases, and the second phase corresponded in both cases to harsher conditions. The in vitro evaluation and selection resulted in potentially more useful selected germplasm than the other evaluation methods. The field experiments highlighted the large specific adaptation effects that affected the response of salt‐tolerant germplasm across the two regions. Core Ideas: Cultivation on salt‐affected soils or the use of salinized irrigation water affects alfalfa productivity and survival.Landraces evolved in stress‐affected areas are valuable genetic resources for salt tolerance improvement.Selections for salt tolerance from different methods in controlled conditions differ for field‐based tolerance.In vitro evaluation and selection provided potentially more useful selected germplasm than other methods.Specific adaptation affected the field response of salt‐tolerant germplasm across different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advancements have made hand‐held near infrared (NIR) spectrometers more affordable and more accurate, creating interest in on‐farm application for forage management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of a hand‐held NIR spectrometer to predict grass percentage within fresh alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.):grass mixtures. Forage samples were collected at a range of maturities and varieties during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons from multiple locations in New York. Fresh forage samples were chopped, and pure species were combined into known proportions on a dry matter basis, resulting in 534 samples. Analysis was carried out on NIR spectra collected from a hand‐held NeoSpectra spectrometer using stationary and sliding scanning techniques. Development of calibration models was completed using partial least squares regression with cross validation. The best performing calibration model using absorbance was from the sliding scanning technique with preprocessing consisting of mean‐centering (R2 = 0.89, root mean square error of prediction [RMSEP] = 13.7%, and ratio of prediction to deviation = 2.53). A total of 84% of the samples were correctly classified when the grass component was lower than 40%. For samples with the grass component above 40%, a total of 94% of the samples were correctly classified. Correct sample classification is critical considering that the extension recommendation in New York is to reseed alfalfa fields when the grass component exceeds 40% of the sward on a botanical composition basis. This research demonstrates that NIR technology has potential to provide the agricultural industry with rapid, non‐destructive, and affordable information to allow farmers and consultants to predict grass proportion within alfalfa:grass fresh forage mixtures in real time. Core Ideas: Hand‐held NIR spectrometers show promise for estimating grass proportion in fresh alfalfa:grass forage mixtures.The sliding scan technique best predicts grass proportions in alfalfa:grass mixtures over stationary techniques.On‐farm NIRS analysis of forage crops has the potential to optimize nutrient management on dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study is to determine the impact of alfalfa fiber on the physicomechanical properties of adobe bricks. The soil and fibers utilized in this research as raw materials were obtained from Ouled Mbarek, a village located in the north-central region of Morocco. Comprehensive tests were conducted on the raw materials for characterization, including mineralogical examination, geotechnical assessment, and microstructural analysis. The adobe samples underwent thorough examination, with a focus on damage, fracture behavior and fire resistance. The inclusion of alfalfa fiber, containing hydrophilic compounds such as quasi-crystalline cellulose and hemicelluloses, resulted in increased water absorption and significant porosity due to air entrapment during mixing. Furthermore, the introduction of small amounts of alfalfa fiber led to an enhancement in the mechanical properties of the adobes, showcasing notable compressive and flexural strength reaching 8.28 MPa and 1.83 MPa, respectively. This improvement was attributed to the strong adhesion between the added fibers and the clay matrix, significantly reducing crack propagation within the composite material. The high tensile strength of alfalfa fibers, stemming from their cellulose content, also played a crucial role in the improved mechanical performance. Consequently, adobes reinforced with such fibers exhibit promising characteristics as cost-effective construction materials in arid and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The increase in frequency of freeze–thaw episodes with the diminution of snow cover protection due to climate change compromises the winter survival of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Symbiosis with cold-tolerant rhizobial strains can improve the ability of alfalfa to survive and grow under stressful conditions. Methods: Six strains of Sinorhizobium (Ensifer) meliloti were tested in combination with two alfalfa populations bred to differ in their levels of freezing tolerance. Plants of each different combination were grown for eight weeks in a growth chamber before being exposed to temperatures promoting their acclimation to cold. Plants were then exposed to a freezing stress (-11ºC) and regrown for three weeks. Shoot, root and nodule biomass were measured before cold acclimation and three weeks after the freezing stress. Results: After freezing stress, the alfalfa population A-TF7 had shoot and root biomasses that were respectively 19% and 15% larger than cultivar A-TF0. Alfalfa plants inoculated with strain NRG34 showed both a larger shoot biomass and a higher nodule dry weight than plants inoculated with any other strains. Assessment of freezing damages on nodules showed that plants inoculated with NRG34 had the largest proportion of undamaged nodules or of nodules with a regeneration zone. Conclusion: This study shows for the first time a relationship between nodule and shoot regrowth after a freezing stress, the latter being linked with the proportion of nodules showing less freezing damage. Our results demonstrated that both the choice of alfalfa populations and S. meliloti strains adapted to stress are complementary to increasing alfalfa persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prolonged drought exacerbated by climate change in the Mesilla Valley, one of the major agricultural areas of New Mexico, USA, is causing a shortage of surface water from the Rio Grande for irrigation. Farmers in the Valley are using groundwater for irrigation and complementing it with limited surface water from the river (Rio Grande). Managing irrigation water better is vital to sustaining agriculture in the Valley. Remote sensing (RS)-based crop evapotranspiration (ETa) models offer significant advantages over traditional methods. The ET maps generated by these RS models provide valuable information that can be used to manage irrigation water and crops in water-scarce areas. This study used METRIC and SSEBop RS models to map the ET of alfalfa on a private farm that is managed as commonly practiced in the Valley. The integrated ET values of the two models are compared to those of the ETa measured using the eddy covariance method. The comparison showed that 91.55% of the variability in SSEBop ETa estimates can be explained by the variability in the METRIC ETa estimates, and the variability in eddy covariance ETa can explain 93.07% of the variability in METRIC ETa and 86.01% in the SSEBop Eta estimates. Both METRIC and SSEBop reflected the ETa of alfalfa during full growth and harvesting periods. However, the absolute percent mean relative difference (MRD) of ET was higher for two out of three cuttings by SSEBop (>32%) compared to those for METRIC and eddy covariance. The spatiotemporal variabilities in crop ET estimates using METRIC and SSEBop showed a need to improve on-farm irrigation conveyance and on-the-field irrigation efficiency. Overall, RS models can provide spatiotemporal maps of ET that can be used for decision-making to manage irrigation water better and improve crop yield on a field, farm, and regional scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]