Nitrogen (N) as a macronutrient is an important determinant of plant growth. The excessive usage of chemical fertilizers is increasing environmental pollution; hence, the improvement of crop’s nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is imperative for sustainable agriculture. N uptake, transportation, assimilation, and remobilization are four important determinants of plant NUE. Oryza sativa L. (rice) is a staple food for approximately half of the human population, around the globe and improvement in rice yield is pivotal for rice breeders. The N transporters, enzymes indulged in N assimilation, and several transcription factors affect the rice NUE and subsequent yield. Although, a couple of improvements have been made regarding rice NUE, the knowledge about regulatory mechanisms operating NUE is scarce. The current review provides a precise knowledge of how rice plants detect soil N and how this detection is translated into the language of responses that regulate the growth. Additionally, the transcription factors that control N-associated genes in rice are discussed in detail. This mechanistic insight will help the researchers to improve rice yield with minimized use of chemical fertilizers.

氮 (N) 作为常量营养素是植物生长的重要决定因素。化肥的过量使用正在加剧环境污染；因此，提高作物的氮利用效率（NUE）对于可持续农业来说势在必行。N 的吸收、运输、同化和再活化是植物 NUE 的四个重要决定因素。水稻L.（大米）是全球约一半人口的主食，提高水稻产量对水稻育种者至关重要。N 转运蛋白、参与 N 同化的酶和几种转录因子影响水稻 NUE 和随后的产量。尽管已经对水稻 NUE 进行了一些改进，但关于运行 NUE 的调节机制的知识却很少。目前的综述提供了关于水稻植物如何检测土壤 N 以及如何将这种检测转化为调节生长的反应语言的精确知识。此外，还详细讨论了控制水稻氮相关基因的转录因子。这种机制洞察力将帮助研究人员通过尽量减少化肥的使用来提高水稻产量。