A forage legume recognized as an excellent model for legume genomics. Medicago truncatula

Medicago truncatula is a forage legume with a small genome size (~500 Mbp). Legumes are important source of proteins containing from 20 to 50 percent protein on a dry weight basis. As a legume, M. truncatula establishes symbiotic relationships with nitrogen fixing Rhizobia. Roots of M. truncatula are also colonized by beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Among legumes it is considered an outstanding model for genome research as it has a diploid genome, simple genetics, and short generation time. There is high conservation between the genome of M. truncatula and the genomes of alfalfa and pea. There is moderate conservation between the genome of M. truncatula and the genome of soybean. Understanding the Medicago truncatula genome will therefore have a positive impact on agriculture.