In order to explore the response of the root and shoot growth of alfalfa seedling to Odontothrips loti thrip damage and the relationship with alfalfa tolerance. In this experiment,Medicago sativa cv. Gannong No. 9 al- falfa was used as the experimental material to evaluate the resistance performance of alfalfa by mearing the root,stem and leaf growth and biomass of alfalfa under different O. loti population pressure (0,1,3 and 5 heads thrips/plant). The results showed that the damage indexes of alfalfa increased continuously with the increase of O. loti population , while the plant height and stem diameter decreased continuously. In the early stage of damage,the alfalfa leaf area,lat- eral branch numbers,lateral branch length,taproot diameter,lateral root numbers,lateral root length and root stem leaf biomass increased,but the root collar diameter became thinner. During the middle stage of damage,the leaf area of alfalfa decreased continuously with the increase of thrips pressure,whereas the lateral branch length,the taproot di- ameter and root collar diameter decreased. The numbers of lateral branch and the length of lateral roots increased, while the numbers of lateral root and the biomass of root,stem and leaf increased at the lower thrips population (1,3 heads thrips/plant ) and decreased at the higher thrips population (5 heads/plant. In the late stage of damage,the leaf area,lateral branch length,taproot diameter,root collar diameter and root,stem and leaf biomass of alfalfa decreased and the lateral root length increased continuously with the increase of thrip population. The numbers of lateral branch and lateral root increased at the lower population and decreased at the higher population. The moderate damage of O. loti(less than 3 head/plant) could stimulate the growth of branch and lateral root of alfalfa at seedling stage,which enlarged the photosynthetic area of plant crown,and improved the absorption capacity of root to soil water and min- eral nutrition. The regenerate growth capacity of alfalfa was improved,and produced over-compensatory growth,thus enhanced the tolerance of alfalfa to thrips. However,the growth of branch and lateral root of alfalfa were inhibited by the excessive pressure of thrips (5 heads/plant),so that the growth performance of alfalfa was under-compensation fi- nally,and the tolerance of alfalfa was weakened.