We report the isolation and characterization of a new Medicago truncatula hyper-nodulation mutant, designated sunn (super numeric nodules). Similar to the previously described ethylene-insensitive mutant sickle, sunn exhibits a 10-fold increase in the number of nodules within the primary nodulation zone. Despite this general similarity, these two mutants are readily distinguished based on anato...

At the 2nd Medicago meeting (a satellite of the 1999 IS-MPMI meeting in Amsterdam), investigators perceived a need for standardization of genetic nomenclature in Medicago truncatula, due to the rapid growth of research on this species in the past few years. Establishment of such standards grew out of discussions begun at this meeting and continued electronically throughout the M. truncatula com...

Efficient use of available resources in agricultural production is important to minimize carbon footprint considering the state climate change. In this context, current research was conducted identify and energy-efficient fodder cropping systems for sustainable livestock production. Annual monocropping, perennial annual cereal + legume intercropping were evaluated by employing a randomized comp...

Little is known how the deep root systems of perennial crops contribute to deeper and better resource use when intercropped with annuals in arable fields. Therefore, we aimed at measuring capacity deep-rooted perennials, alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) curly dock Rumex crispus access nutrients located under neighboring 1.0 2.5 m soil depth. Alfalfa were able tracer sources 15 N Cs) placed a dista...

Struvite (NH4MgPO4·6H2O) may be an appropriate fertilizer to address phosphorus (P) deficiencies in organic cropping systems, but field studies assessing crop response struvite are lacking. Field experiments were conducted over 3 yr on a low-P, alkaline soil Manitoba assess the effect of application rate yield and P accumulation organically managed grain forage crops. was applied spring wheat (...

Two pathways exist for plant Pi uptake from soil: via root epidermal cells (direct pathway) or via associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and the two pathways interact in a complex manner. This study investigated distal and local effects of AM colonization on direct root Pi uptake and root growth, at different soil P levels. Medicago truncatula was grown at three soil P levels in ...

Jasmonate (JA)-mediated defences play important roles in host responses to pathogen attack, in particular to necrotrophic fungal pathogens that kill host cells in order to extract nutrients and live off the dead plant tissue. The root-infecting fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum initiates a necrotrophic growth phase towards the later stages of its lifecycle and is responsible for devastating Fu...