Two complete telomere-to-telomere genome assemblies of Medicago reveal the landscape and evolution of its centromeres

Legumes, including soybean and alfalfa, are vital agricultural crops worldwide, providing high-quality protein and oil sources for humans and animals. In addition, legumes also provide nitrogen for soil improvement, benefiting from their symbiotic associations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Medicago tuncatula, also known as barrel medic, is a long-established model plant for the study of legume genetics and biology. The draft genome of M. truncatula Jemalong A17 (hereafter called A17) (Mt3.5) was first released in 2011 (Young et al., 2011).