Flavonoid signals from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seed and root exudates induce transcription of nodulation (nod) genes in Rhizobium meliloti. The flavone luteolin previously was isolated from alfalfa seeds by other workers and identified as the first nod gene inducer for R. meliloti. Our recent study of 'Moapa 69' alfalfa root exudates found no luteolin but did identify three other nod gene ...

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is an important perennial forage, with high nutritional value, which is widely grown in the world. Because of low freezing tolerance, its distribution and production are threatened and limited by winter weather. To understand the complex regulation mechanisms of freezing tolerance in alfalfa, we performed transcriptome sequencing analysis under cold (4 °C) and freez...

Growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa cv. Vernal) seedlings was compared after inoculation with combinations of either Pratylenchus penetrans and Fusarium soloni or P. penetrans and F. oxysporum f. sp. medicaginis. A synergistic disease interaction occurred in alfalfa when F. oxysporum and P. penetrans were added simultaneously to the soil. Alfalfa growth was suppressed at all inoculum levels of P...

Combined stress from water and temperature is considered an effective approach for improving the cold resistance of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). However, relationships among irrigation depth, root morphology architecture, remain unclear. In this study, we investigated effects drip at soil surface (Deep-0), 20 cm depth (Deep-20), 40 (Deep-40) on architecture alfalfa. The Deep-0 treatment had hi...

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial and outcrossing species, is a widely planted forage legume for hay, pasture and silage throughout the world. Currently, alfalfa breeding relies on recurrent phenotypic selection, but alternatives incorporating molecular marker assisted breeding could enhance genetic gain per unit time and per unit cost, and accelerate alfalfa improvement. Many major qua...

What happens when one nation cultivates a transgenic crop variety but neighboring nations do not? Using alfalfa as a case study, we argue that the potential for international transgene flow is substantial, and therefore, the need for international cooperation in regulatory decisions concerning transgenic crops is imperative. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) is the major forage crop in North Americ...