Alfalfa and Relatives: Evolution and Classification of

Best known as an animal feed, alfalfa is one of the most important and widely produced livestock crops grown throughout the temperate world. provides an in-depth introduction to the genus, exploring its evolution, breeding and adaptation. Alfalfa's agricultural and environmental benefits are unsurpassed; due to recent technological advances, this staple crop is also now being developed as a source of human food extracts, pharmaceuticals, enzymes, industrial chemicals, and biofuels. Through this detailed text, the author defines the ecological applications of the plant while carefully illustrating its economic value and its growing importance as a genetic resource. This is a co-publication with NRC Research Press.