Analysis of these EST data ultimately may lead to improvements in legume crops. Genomics programs such as ours can generate information that Arabidopsis simply can't provide because M. truncatula , and legumes in general, have their own unique metabolic pathways and plant-microbe interactions that warrant further study. The M. truncatula research community, including National Science Foundation projects and international groups such as those in France, will continue to contribute to the overall genomic research of the plant, making it a stronger model system. The Noble and NCGR scientists credited this community and teamwork within their organizations for the progress to date. M. truncatula and its better-known relatives, alfalfa and soybean, are members of the legume family, one of the most important groups of plants.
Legumes are a crucial source of protein for humans and forage food for animals.
M. truncatula is a particularly good plant for study because, unlike alfalfa, it has a relatively small genome and is amenable to efficient genetic and molecular analysis. The M. truncatula collaboration allows Noble to focus on data generation and NCGR to focus on structuring data analysis. Noble conducts extensive research in agricultural sciences, and NCGR's specialty is bioinformatics, which employs mathematics and computer science to analyze biological data. Medicago sequences also are accessible through NCGR's Genome Sequence DataBase. By conducting and facilitating research the Center contributes to the improvement of global nutrition, health and environmental well-being.