Research progress on the molecular biology of Lotus corniculatus

Lotus corniculatus is a perennial leguminous forage of excellent quality. It is rich in nutrition, with good adaptability and strong ecological adaptability. It can be widely used in applications such as livestock breeding, garden afforesting, and soil restoration. Furthermore, L. corniculatus can be used in herbal medicine preparations to treat human diseases. In order to expand the application of L. corniculatus in production practice, many in-depth research studies have been performed domestically and internationally. This paper focuses on the current research progress in seven research fields, including genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis, stress and herbicide resistance, nodule nitrogen fixation, condensed tannins, bioreactors, and pharmacological applications. The shortcomings and prospects of the application of L. corniculatus are discussed.