Oncoming Feed and Food Security "Heal-all": Sainfoin (Onobrychys viciifolia Scop.)

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is a perennial leguminous forage crop from the Papilionaceae subfamily.Historically important in animal husbandry across Europe, Asia, and North America, it was largely replaced during the Green Revolution by higher-yielding legumes like clover (Trifolium spp.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa).Recently, interest in sainfoin has revived due to its biochemical, ecological, and nutritional advantages.Its leaves and seeds are rich in condensed tannins, which help prevent ruminal bloating, reduce intestinal parasites, improve nitrogen utilization, and extend forage preservation through antimicrobial action.Sainfoin's protein content is comparable to key legume crops, with an amino acid profile rich in lysine and proline, essential for collagen synthesis.Its lipid fraction contains favorable MUFA and PUFA levels, exceeding those in lentils, peas, and beans.Despite its potential, sainfoin remains under-researched at the molecular level, limiting advances in breeding and genetic improvement.This review critically summarizes current findings on sainfoin as a multifunctional crop capable of enhancing sustainable livestock production.It also highlights key challenges hindering its wider use, such as limited genomic data and breeding efforts.These insights are relevant to crop scientists, forage specialists, and agroecologists seeking sustainable feed alternatives.