{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.medicago-sativa","code":"thing-q156106","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q156106/","name":"Medicago sativa","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.1.0-research.1","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.LIV"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"Medicago sativa is a perennial forage legume in Fabaceae, native to south-central Asia and now cultivated worldwide, that includes diploid forms, while cultivated alfalfa is typically autotetraploid; it is distinguished by a deep taproot, trifoliolate leaves and typically purple papilionaceous flowers, and is grown as hay, silage, pasture and a nitrogen-fixing rotation crop.","purpose":"Enable an AI agent to recognise Medicago sativa, assess the condition and reproductive potential of its plants or stands, and choose evidence-supported cultivation, harvest, conservation or removal actions.","scope":{"in":["Identification of alfalfa or lucerne plants, including uncertain vegetative specimens and possible hybrid ancestry","Cultivar, seed origin, establishment history and cultivated or spontaneous occurrence","Crown, root, shoot and reproductive development across establishment, cutting, regrowth and dormancy","Stand persistence, nodulation, environmental stress and observed pest or disease damage","Biological readiness for forage harvest, seed production, reseeding or termination"],"out":["Soil classification, weather systems and irrigation infrastructure, which supply environmental context","Rhizobial, pest, pathogen and pollinator species models, linked through observed interactions","Harvested hay, silage, seed commodities and food sprouts as independently managed products","Livestock nutrition, ration formulation and veterinary diagnosis","Farm economics, machinery operation and pesticide product authorisations"],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Inspect several mature leaves for three leaflets with teeth concentrated toward their tips; combine this with reproductive characters because trifoliate leaves alone do not separate alfalfa from clovers and other medics. [Botanical description](https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/alfalfa.htm)","Check for short racemes of pea-shaped, usually purple or lavender flowers together with tightly coiled pods; record missing flowers or fruits as identification limitations. [Botanical description](https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/alfalfa.htm)","Against black medic, inspect flowers and mature fruits: black medic has small yellow flowerheads and dark, single-seeded curled pods, rather than the typical purple-flowered alfalfa combination. [Black medic description](https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_medic.htm)","Against yellow lucerne or falcata-associated material, compare flower colour and pod curvature; yellow flowers and less tightly coiled pods warrant taxonomic review rather than rejection based on colour alone. [Comparison with yellow lucerne](https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/alfalfa.htm)"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"alfalfa-identity-and-origin","name":"Alfalfa identity and origin","description":"Establish which biological material is being treated as Medicago sativa and how confidently it belongs to this entry.","layers":[{"id":"diagnostic-plant-characters","name":"Diagnostic plant characters","description":"Combine leaf, flower and pod observations from the same plant or documented sample.","findings":[{"id":"supported-alfalfa-identification","name":"Supported alfalfa identification","description":"Record the character combination supporting identification, alternatives considered and evidence still missing.","questions":[{"text":"Do leaflet margins, flower arrangement and mature pod form jointly support Medicago sativa over clovers, black medic or another Medicago?","id":"supported-alfalfa-identification-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which photographs, specimen or expert determination support the identification, and were reproductive structures available?","id":"supported-alfalfa-identification-q02","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"cultivar-and-taxonomic-context","name":"Cultivar and taxonomic context","description":"Preserve seed provenance and uncertain infraspecific or hybrid assignments.","findings":[{"id":"documented-biological-material","name":"Documented biological material","description":"Distinguish verified cultivar information from inferred traits and leave unresolved taxonomic assignments explicit.","questions":[{"text":"What seed-lot or breeding record supports the cultivar name, dormancy rating, resistance claims or declared engineered traits?","id":"documented-biological-material-q01","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Does the chosen taxonomic authority include the observed falcata-associated or hybrid material within Medicago sativa, and how should uncertainty remain attached to this registry entry?","id":"documented-biological-material-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"establishment-and-root-function","name":"Establishment and root function","description":"Assess emergence, root development and the evidence for a functioning alfalfa-rhizobial association.","layers":[{"id":"seedling-establishment","name":"Seedling establishment","description":"Track emergence and survival against seed condition, sowing history and previous alfalfa occupancy.","findings":[{"id":"establishment-success-and-reseeding-context","name":"Establishment success and reseeding context","description":"Record emergence and mortality while retaining competition and potential autotoxicity as separate explanations for poor reseeding. [Alfalfa reseeding discussion](https://ucanr.edu/blog/sjc-and-delta-field-crops/article/alfalfa-qa-notes-field)","questions":[{"text":"What proportion of the sown viable seed produced surviving seedlings, and how does survival vary across the sampled area?","id":"establishment-success-and-reseeding-context-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"When was alfalfa last present, do old plants or decomposing crowns remain, and what local evidence is needed before reseeding?","id":"establishment-success-and-reseeding-context-q02","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"taproots-and-nodules","name":"Taproots and nodules","description":"Inspect below-ground development and separate nodule observations from confirmed function or disease.","findings":[{"id":"root-and-symbiosis-evidence","name":"Root and symbiosis evidence","description":"Record root extent, branching, lesions and nodule observations with the excavation method and limits of diagnosis.","questions":[{"text":"What root depth or sampled root extent, branching pattern and nodule distribution are actually observed?","id":"root-and-symbiosis-evidence-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What evidence supports effective nodulation, and what further assessment would distinguish ineffective nodules, root galls and other root abnormalities?","id":"root-and-symbiosis-evidence-q02","kind":"definition"}]}]}]},{"id":"regrowth-and-stand-persistence","name":"Regrowth and stand persistence","description":"Represent repeated shoot production, crown survival and seasonal recovery.","layers":[{"id":"cutting-cycle-development","name":"Cutting-cycle development","description":"Relate current maturity and shoot growth to recent defoliation and recovery.","findings":[{"id":"recovery-after-defoliation","name":"Recovery after defoliation","description":"Record maturity, regrowth and cutting history when assessing harvest-persistence tradeoffs; avoid treating canopy height as a direct measurement of root reserves. [Harvest and regrowth guidance](https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2022/05/managing-risk-at-first-alfalfa-harvest.html)","questions":[{"text":"How many days have elapsed since the last defoliation, and what stem height, developmental stage and new-shoot distribution are observed?","id":"recovery-after-defoliation-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Does the stand's recovery and locally supported seasonal guidance justify another cut, grazing event or additional rest?","id":"recovery-after-defoliation-q02","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"crown-survival-and-seasonality","name":"Crown survival and seasonality","description":"Assess whether reduced growth reflects seasonal behaviour, temporary stress or loss of viable plants.","findings":[{"id":"persistent-live-stand","name":"Persistent live stand","description":"Combine live crown counts, stem production, root inspection and cultivar context before assigning decline or mortality.","questions":[{"text":"How have live crown density, stems per crown and the proportion of injured crowns changed between comparable surveys?","id":"persistent-live-stand-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What observations distinguish dormancy or delayed regrowth from irreversible crown death in this cultivar and climate?","id":"persistent-live-stand-q02","kind":"definition"}]}]}]},{"id":"stress-damage-and-response","name":"Stress, damage and response","description":"Connect alfalfa symptoms with environmental exposure, damaging organisms and intervention evidence.","layers":[{"id":"root-zone-and-weather-stress","name":"Root-zone and weather stress","description":"Relate plant condition to water availability, drainage, salinity, nutrition and temperature exposure.","findings":[{"id":"supported-stress-attribution","name":"Supported stress attribution","description":"Retain competing explanations until plant observations and site measurements justify a causal assessment.","questions":[{"text":"Which measured root-zone conditions and weather events coincide with wilting, yellowing, restricted roots or failed regrowth?","id":"supported-stress-attribution-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"What additional soil, tissue or root assessment would change the decision to irrigate, amend nutrition or defer intervention?","id":"supported-stress-attribution-q02","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"alfalfa-pests-and-disease","name":"Alfalfa pests and disease","description":"Record damaging organisms, symptoms, beneficial organisms and the crop's intended use.","findings":[{"id":"diagnosis-linked-intervention","name":"Diagnosis-linked intervention","description":"Require organism identification and relevant sampling before selecting an intervention, with linked checks for harvest intervals and pollinator effects. [UC alfalfa IPM guidance](https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/alfalfa/integrated-pest-management/)","questions":[{"text":"What evidence distinguishes alfalfa weevil feeding, aphid injury, crown or root disease and non-biological damage in this stand?","id":"diagnosis-linked-intervention-q01","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which locally validated threshold, crop stage and forage-versus-seed objective support intervention, and what harvest or pollinator constraints apply?","id":"diagnosis-linked-intervention-q02","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"forage-and-seed-outcomes","name":"Forage and seed outcomes","description":"Assess what the living alfalfa crop can produce and when responsibility passes to product or neighbouring ecological models.","layers":[{"id":"standing-forage-readiness","name":"Standing forage readiness","description":"Evaluate harvestable biomass, maturity, leaf retention and sampled composition before cutting or grazing.","findings":[{"id":"purpose-specific-harvest-readiness","name":"Purpose-specific harvest readiness","description":"Record the evidence for harvest timing and transfer the identity and condition of removed material to the relevant forage-product model.","questions":[{"text":"What dry-matter yield, maturity distribution, leaf retention and measured forage composition support the intended harvest?","id":"purpose-specific-harvest-readiness-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which observations must accompany harvested or grazed material into forage and livestock models before suitability for a particular animal group is decided?","id":"purpose-specific-harvest-readiness-q02","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"pollination-seed-and-spread","name":"Pollination, seed and spread","description":"Track flowering overlap, pollination evidence, seed maturation and recruitment beyond the intended stand.","findings":[{"id":"effective-reproduction-and-movement","name":"Effective reproduction and movement","description":"Distinguish flower presence from viable seed and record neighbouring flowering alfalfa when assessing pollen-mediated trait movement. [Alfalfa coexistence guidance](https://ucanr.edu/blog/uc-weed-science-weed-control-management-ecology-and-minutia/article/co-existence-rr-and)","questions":[{"text":"What pollinator activity, pod set, filled-seed counts and germination results demonstrate successful reproduction?","id":"effective-reproduction-and-movement-q01","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Given neighbouring flowering alfalfa and observed volunteers, should flowering be retained for seed, interrupted or followed by recruitment monitoring?","id":"effective-reproduction-and-movement-q02","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"evidence-and-external-alignment","name":"Evidence and external alignment","description":"What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.","layers":[{"id":"reported-evidence","name":"Reported evidence","description":"Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.","findings":[{"id":"evidence-kinds","name":"Kinds and varieties","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-kinds-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-identifiers","name":"Identifiers and schemes","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-identifiers-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation","name":"Standards and regulation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-standards-and-regulation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-real-world-use","name":"Real-world use","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-real-world-use-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-measurements","name":"Typical measurements","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-measurements-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards","name":"Failure modes and hazards","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-failure-modes-and-hazards-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-regional-variation","name":"Regional variation","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-regional-variation-q01","kind":"provenance"}]},{"id":"evidence-neighbours","name":"Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart","description":"Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.","questions":[{"text":"Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of Medicago sativa this model covers, and on what evidence?","id":"evidence-neighbours-q01","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Identify alfalfa and report its forage, rotation and nitrogen-fixing uses.","Advise farmers to follow official guidance on grazing it to avoid bloat in livestock."],"mustNot":["Graze animals on lush alfalfa without the precautions against bloat.","Sell seed or sprouts that have not met safety and purity requirements.","Misrepresent seed as non-genetically modified or certified when it is not."],"requiresHuman":["Changing livestock rations or grazing plans."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Livestock welfare depends on careful feeding.","Raw sprouts have caused food poisoning outbreaks."],"affectedParties":["Livestock","Farmers","People eating sprouts"]},"owners":{"steward":"The grower; seed certification authorities regulate seed sale.","roles":[],"masterSystems":["Plant variety and seed certification registers"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q11992872","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"Q157957","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.medicago-sativa","Wikidata: Q156106 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156106)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["Identification basis: vegetative provisional; reproductive morphology supported; expert verified; molecularly supported; unresolved","Cultivar and seed origin: Links to cultivar designation, seed lot, supplier evidence and establishment event; unknown permitted","Developmental stage: germinating; seedling; vegetative; bud; flowering; pod development; mature seed; dormant; dead","Regrowth interval: Days since emergence or most recent cutting or grazing, with event type and date","Live crown and stem density: Live crowns/m² and live stems/m², measured separately with sampling area and method","Crown and taproot condition: Firm and intact; discoloured; soft or rotted; mechanically injured; uncertain; sampled tissue specified","Nodulation evidence: Not examined; absent in sample; present; internal appearance recorded; functional assessment available","Root-zone exposure: Soil pH; electrical conductivity with method; soil water measurement; waterlogging duration in hours or days","Forage biomass and composition: kg dry matter/ha; leaf:stem dry-mass ratio; crude protein and fibre fractions as % dry matter, with sampling method","Reproductive output: Flowering stems as % sampled stems; pods per sampled raceme; filled seeds per pod; germination %"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Leaves of three small leaflets with toothed tips.","Clusters of small purple pea-like flowers.","Spiral-coiled seed pods."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["Inspect and document leaves, flowers, pods and crowns to support identification or request specialist review.","Establish plants from traceable seed and monitor emergence, survival and nodulation.","Sample standing biomass and development to compare harvest timing with regrowth and persistence objectives.","Monitor crown health, stand thinning and stress to decide whether further diagnosis or management adjustment is warranted.","Manage flowering for seed production while assessing pollinator activity and neighbouring alfalfa flowering.","Assess renovation, reseeding or removal using surviving crowns, previous alfalfa occupancy and subsequent regrowth observations."]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Bloat in cattle and sheep grazing lush stands.","Bacterial contamination of sprouts."]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Council Directive 66/401/EEC, issued by the Council of the European Communities, regulates the marketing of fodder plant seed, including Medicago sativa seed, in the European Union."]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Alfalfa is cultivated in agricultural fields as a perennial forage crop for hay, silage and grazing.","Its nitrogen-fixing association with soil bacteria makes it useful in crop rotations, while living stands are assessed for persistence, flowering and harvest readiness."]}},"sources":[{"title":"Medicago sativa L. - alfalfa","url":"https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=MESA","note":"Accepted scientific name, USDA PLANTS symbol MESA, U.S. nativity and distribution framing, and the North American common name alfalfa."},{"title":"Medicago sativa L.","url":"https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:506308-1","note":"Kew Plants of the World Online accepted name, IPNI Life Sciences Identifier, and the global taxonomic placement of the species."},{"title":"Medicago sativa L. (GRIN-Global)","url":"https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=23690","note":"USDA-ARS GRIN taxonomy, common names alfalfa and lucerne, and the crop-plant identity used in germplasm banking."},{"title":"OECD Seed Schemes: Medicago sativa","url":"https://www.oecd.org/agriculture/seeds/","note":"International seed-certification scheme covering alfalfa/lucerne cultivars in international trade."},{"title":"Harmonized System heading 1214 - Swedes, mangolds, fodder roots, hay, lucerne (alfalfa)","url":"https://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature/instrument-and-tools/hs-nomenclature-2022-edition.aspx","note":"Customs classification of alfalfa/lucerne forage (hay, meal, pellets) in international trade."},{"title":"Wikidata item Q156106: Medicago sativa","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q156106","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Alfalfa","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfalfa","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Which taxonomic authority should govern inclusion of falcata-associated subspecies and hybrids within this unsplit registry entry?","Which region- and cultivar-specific dormancy, winter survival and cutting criteria are sufficiently supported to guide actions?","Which sampling methods and thresholds best distinguish a recoverable thin stand from one requiring renovation under different production systems?","What local evidence establishes reseeding intervals after alfalfa termination while separating autotoxicity, competition and disease carryover?","Which measurements can support quantitative claims about nitrogen fixation and nutrient contribution without inferring them from nodule presence alone?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q156106/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q156106/spec.json"],"providers":["Codex","Grok"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-07T13:47:20Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T12:16:29+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 3 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}