Phenotypic and genomic insights into alfalfa diversity: Identifying critical loci for enhanced resilience.

ABSTRACT: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a globally important forage crop, yet the relationship between its phenotypic variation and underlying genetic structure remains poorly resolved. In this study, we combined spatially adjusted, multiyear phenotyping with high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping in a panel of 395 cultivated accessions to (i) characterize the structure of phenotypic diversity across a broad range of agronomic traits, (ii) quantify the correspondence between phenotypic and genetic structure, and (iii) identify specific traits and genomic regions associated with genetic differentiation. Phenotypic data were collected across multiple locations and years, while genotypic data were obtained using genotyping by sequencing. Multivariate and feature selection analyses rev

SUBMITTER: Arcia-Ruiz I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12631055 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature