Evolutionary genomics of climatic adaptation and resilience to climate change in alfalfa

Abstract

Given the escalating impact of climate change on agriculture and food security, gaining insights into the evolutionary dynamics of climatic adaptation and uncovering climate-adapted variation can empower the breeding of climate-resilient crops to face future climate change. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa), the queen of forages, shows remarkable adaptability across diverse global environments, making it an excellent model for investigating species responses to climate change. In this study, we performed population genomic analyses using genome resequencing data from 702 accessions of 24 Medicago species to unravel alfalfa’s climatic adaptation and genetic susceptibility to future climate change. We found that interspecific genetic exchange has contributed to the gene pool of alfalfa, particularly enriching defense and stress-response genes. Intersubspecific introgression between M. sativa subsp. falcata (subsp. falcata) and alfalfa not only aids alfalfa’s climatic adaptation but also introduces genetic burden. A total of 1671 genes were associated with climatic adaptation, and 5.7% of them were introgressions from subsp. falcata. By integrating climate-associated variants and climate data, we identified populations that are vulnerable to future climate change, particularly in higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. These findings serve as a clarion call for targeted conservation initiatives and breeding efforts. We also identified pre-adaptive populations that demonstrate heightened resilience to climate fluctuations, illuminating a pathway for future breeding strategies. Collectively, this study enhances our understanding about the local adaptation mechanisms of alfalfa and facilitates the breeding of climate-resilient alfalfa cultivars, contributing to effective agricultural strategies for facing future climate change.