Genome-Wide Association and Genomic Prediction of Alfalfa (<i>Medicago sativa</i> L.) Biomass Yield Under Drought Stress.

ABSTRACT: Developing drought-resistant alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) that maintains high biomass yield is a key breeding goal to enhance productivity in water-limited areas. In this study, 424 alfalfa breeding families were analyzed to identify molecular markers associated with biomass yield under drought stress and to predict high-merit plants. Biomass yield was measured from 18 harvests from 2020 to 2023 in a field trial with deficit irrigation. A total of 131 significant markers were associated with biomass yield, with 80 markers specifically linked to yield under drought stress; among these, 19 markers were associated with multiple harvests. Finally, genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) was employed to obtain predictive accuracies (PAs) and genomic estimated breeding values (GEB

SUBMITTER: Medina CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11765341 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature