1、苜蓿等重要饲草遗传育种研究

紫花苜蓿营养价值丰富、产量高、适应性好，是全球最重要的豆科牧草。我国当前苜蓿育成品种数量少，引进的国外苜蓿品种因不适宜我国的土壤、气候特点，多表现出抗逆性、持久性差，易发生病虫害等特性，严重制约我国苜蓿产业的发展。本创新团队立足于已有的苜蓿遗传育种研究工作基础，结合苜蓿产业生产实际需求，采用常规育种技术与分子育种技术结合的方法，开展苜蓿种质创新和新品种选育，培育自主创新的抗逆、高产、优质苜蓿新品种。同时开展苜蓿重要性状分子标记辅助育种技术、苜蓿重要性状关键基因调控机制及苜蓿多基因组装育种技术的创新研究，并进一步开展相关基础理论研究，为我国苜蓿产业及草食畜牧业高效可持续发展提供技术支撑和理论依据。

2、饲草高效栽培技术研究

水分和养分是植物生长过程必需的物质，其耦合作用机理和吸收规律是牧草栽培管理的重要研究内容。本团队开展了紫花苜蓿、饲用燕麦等重要饲草养分平衡机理研究，研究水肥耦合机制和栽培管理技术；利用多年多点的原位控制肥效试验、同位素示踪和分子生物学技术，对土壤养分、植物组织营养和牧草生产性能之间的关系以及主要养分的吸收规律进行深入研究，初步形成了牧草的营养诊断和推荐施肥技术体系。另外，团队开展了苜蓿等重要饲草在干旱、盐碱、低磷、砂性土壤等逆境胁迫下的生理生态响应机制和抗逆性评价，以及耐旱、耐低磷等逆境的分子机制研究。

1、育成品种与奖励

育成中苜系列苜蓿新品种9个，其中2个品种入选农业农村部农业主导品种，已在全国大面积推广种植。获北京市科技进步二等奖1项；获中国农业科学院科技进步一等奖1项；获中国农业科学院杰出科技创新奖1项；获内蒙古自治区科技进步二等奖1项；获全国农牧渔业丰收奖一等奖1项；其他省部级奖项2项。

2、发表文章

1. He Fei, Chen Shuai, Zhang Yangyang, Chai Kun, Zhang Qing, Kong Weilong, Qu Shenyang, Chen Lin, Zhang Fan, Li Mingna, Wang Xue, Lv Huigang, Zhang Tiejun, He Xiaofan, Li Xiao, Li Yajing, Li Xianyang, Jiang Xueqian, Xu Ming, Sod Bilig, Kang Junmei, Zhang Xingtan, Long Ruicai and Yang Qingchuan. Pan-genomic analysis highlights genes associated with agronomic traits and enhances genomics-assisted breeding in alfalfa. Nature Genetics. 2025. 57(5): 1262-1273.

2. Zhang Fan, Wei Chunxue, Shi Xiaoya, Cao Shuo, Xu Xiaodong, Ma Zhiyao, Peng Yanling, Arshad Rida, Xue Hui, Zhang Zhen, Zhang Wei, Xu Yanshuai, Dong Yang, Zhou Lianzhu, Cao Xuejing, Du Mengrui, Wang Xu, Zhang Zhiwu, Long Ruicai, Kang Junmei, Zhou Yongfeng, Yang Qingchuan. Medicago super-pangenome reveals adaptive advantages and evolutionary constraints in autotetraploid alfalfa. Nature Communications, 2025, 17(1): 583.

3. Zhang Fan, Long Ruicai, Ma Zhiyao, Xiao Hua, Xu Xiaodong, Liu Zhongjie, Wei Chunxue, Wang Yiwen, Peng Yanling, Yang Xuanwen, Shi Xiaoya, Cao Shuo, Li Mingna, Xu Ming, He Fei, Jiang Xueqian, Zhang Tiejun, Wang Zhen, Li Xianran, Yu Long-Xi, Kang Junmei, Zhang Zhiwu, Zhou Yongfeng, Yang Qingchuan. Evolutionary genomics of climatic adaptation and resilience to climate change in alfalfa. Molecular Plant, 2024, 17(6): 867-883.

4. Sod Bilig, Jiang Xueqian, He Fei, Zeng Xiaofei, Wang Yibin, Zheng Yaodong, Li Mingna, Wang Xue, Zhang Tiejun, Chen Lin, Xu Ming, Xu Yanchao, Zhu Kai, Zhu He, Yu Haojie, Kang Junmei, Yang Qingchuan, Zhang Xingtan, Long Ruicai. The haplotype-resolved and near-telomere-to-telomere genome assembly for the autotetraploid alfalfa. Plant Communications. 2025: 101691.

5. Long Ruicai, Zhang Fan, Zhang Zhiwu, Li Mingna, Chen Lin, Wang Xue, Liu Wenwen, Zhang Tiejun, Yu Ling-Xi, He Fei, Jiang Xueqian, Yang Xijiang, Yang Changfu, Wang Zhen, Kang Junmei, Yang Qingchuan. Genome Assembly of Alfalfa Cultivar Zhongmu-4 and Identification of SNPs Associated with Agronomic Traits. Genomics, proteomics & bioinformatics. 2022, 20(1): 14-28.

6. Chen Lin, Li Xianyang, Liu Hao, He Fei, Li Mingna, Long Ruicai, Wang Xue, Kang Junmei, Yang Qingchuan. Comprehensive analysis of epigenetic modifications in alfalfa under cadmium stress. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2025. 482: 136545.

7. Chen Lin, He Fei, Long Ruicai, Zhang Fan, Li Mingna, Wang Zhen, Kang Junmei, Yang Qingchuan. A global alfalfa diversity panel reveals genomic selection signatures in Chinese varieties and genomic associations with root development. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 2021, 63(11): 1937-1951.

8. Zhang Fan, Kang Junmei, Long Ruicai, Li Mingna, Sun Yan, He Fei, Jiang Xueqian, Yang Changfu, Yang Xijiang, Kong Jie, Wang Yiwen, Wang Zhen, Zhang Zhiwu, Yang Qingchuan. Application of machine learning to explore the genomic prediction accuracy of fall dormancy in autotetraploid alfalfa. Horticulture Research, 2023, 10(1): uhac225.

9. Jiang Xueqian, Zeng Xiangcui, Xu Ming, Li Mingna, Zhang Fan, He Fei, Yang Tianhui, Wang Chuan, Gao Ting, Long Ruicai, Yang Qingchuan, Kang Junmei. The whole-genome dissection of root system architecture provides new insights for the genetic improvement of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). Horticulture Research, 2025, 12(1): uhae271.

10. Wang Shumin, Guo Tao, Shen Yixin, Wang Zhen, Kang Junmei, Zhang Jiaju, Yi Fengyan, Yang Qingchuan, Long Ruicai. Overexpression of MtRAV3 enhances osmotic and salt tolerance and inhibits growth of Medicago truncatula. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 2021, 163: 154-165.

11. He Fei, Long Ruicai, Zhang Tiejun, Zhang Fan, Wang Zhen, Yang Xijiang, Jiang Xueqian, Yang Changfu, Zhi Xuxin, Li Mingna, Yu Longxi, Kang Junmei, Yang Qingchuan. Quantitative trait locus mapping of yield and plant height in autotetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The Crop Journal, 2020, 8(5): 812-818.

12. Gao Yanli, Li Mingna, Zhang Xiaxiang, Yang Qingchuan, Huang Bingru. Upregulation of lipid metabolism and glycine betaine synthesis are associated with choline‐induced salt tolerance in halophytic seashore paspalum. Plant, Cell & Environment, 2020. 159-173.

13. Sun Hao, Long Ruicai, Zhang Fan, Zhang Tiejun, Kang Junmei, Wang Zhen*, Cao Chunyu, Yu Jie, Yang Qingchuan. Proteomic Analysis of Shoot Tips from Two Alfalfa Cultivars with Different Florescence. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter, 2019. 37(4): 265-276

14. Wang Zhen, Wang Xiaomin, Xie Bo, Hong Zonglie, Yang Qingchuan. Arabidopsis NUCLEOSTEMIN-LIKE 1 (NSN1) regulates cell cycling potentially by cooperating with nucleosome assembly protein AtNAP1; 1. BMC plant biology. 2018. 18(1): 99.

15. Long Ruicai, Gao Yanli, Sun Hao, Zhang Tiejun, Li Xiao, Li Mingna, Sun Yan, Kang Junmei, Wang Zhen, Ding Wang, Yang Qingchuan. Quantitative proteomic analysis using iTRAQ to identify salt-responsive proteins during the germination stage of two Medicago species. Scientific reports. 2018. 8(1): 9553.

16. Long Ruicai, Sun Hao, Cao Chunyu, Zhang Tiejun, Kang Junmei, Wang Zhen, Li Mingna, Gao Yanli, Li Xiao, Yang Qingchuan. Identification of alkali-responsive proteins from early seedling stage of two contrasting Medicago species by iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2019. 157:26-34.