苜蓿种质资源的分布、育种与利用
摘要
Alfalfa is widely distributed worldwide and is one of the most important forage legumes. It is well-known as “the king of forage” because of its high yield, high quality, biological nitrogen fixation, etc. Alfalfa has a long history of having been planted in China and having maintained a high economic value. According to previous research, there are 46 species in the <italic>Medicago sativa</italic> L. genus. Studies on alfalfa breeding occurred later and have made a significant amount of progress in recent decades. By the end of 2014, a total of 77 alfalfa varieties had been registered, and 36 of them had been bred by crossbreeding technology. Alfalfa is not only an important high-protein type of forage but is also a soil and water conservation plant; thus, alfalfa has both important economic and ecological functions. Furthermore, the excellent germplasm resources of alfalfa have been discovered for breeding new alfalfa cultivars, which can not only increase the forage yield but can also accelerate the development of the dairy industry. Moreover, alfalfa can improve soil fertility as an important ecological protection for plants. Therefore, the development of the alfalfa industry plays an important role in the sustainable development of agriculture in China. This paper reviewed the distribution, germplasm resources, genetic breeding, and utilization of alfalfa on the basis of the present situation of alfalfa in China. It may provide some reference for future research of alfalfa.