The genus Medicago is best known for alfalfa, also known as lucerne, which is the world's most important livestock crop and one of the leading crops of most countries of the temperate world. A dozen or so other species of Medicago have also proven to be extremely useful pasture plants during the last century. Although best known as an animal feed, alfalfa is being developed as a source of human food extracts, pharmaceuticals, enzymes, industrial chemicals, and biofuels. Moreover, alfalfa is unsurpassed in its environmental benefits and is increasingly being grown for ecological applications. Key to future technological innovations are dozens of additional wild species of Medicago, with properties offering considerable potential for cultivar improvement by gene transfer. A substantial obstacle to the breeding of improved cultivars of alfalfa and the other cultivated species has been the lack of a comprehensive guide to all of the species, subspecies, and varieties of Medicago and to their ecological and agronomic properties. This monograph provides an improved, comprehensive classification and illustrated guide to all 87 Medicago species, as well as detailed information on the species useful for breeding improved cultivars. The book is user-friendly, and clear language is employed to explain the extensive technical information included. The reader can quickly find details on a particular topic by examining the categories of information provided. This comprehensive guide to one of the world's leading crops and the numerous species allied to it is an essential reference for a wide range of biological specialists, particularly taxonomists, agronomists, and ecologists.
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