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The physiological mechanism underlying root elongation in response to nitrogen deficiency in crop plants

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Abstract

Main conclusion

In response to low nitrogen stress, multiple hormones together with nitric oxide signaling pathways work synergistically and antagonistically in crop root elongation.

Abstract

Changing root morphology allows plants to adapt to soil nutrient availability. Nitrogen is the most important essential nutrient for plant growth. An important adaptive strategy for crops responding to nitrogen deficiency is root elongation, thereby accessing increased soil space and nitrogen resources. Multiple signaling pathways are involved in this regulatory network, working together to fine-tune root elongation in response to soil nitrogen availability. Based on existing research, we propose a model to explain how different signaling pathways interact to regulate root elongation in response to low nitrogen stress. In response to a low shoot nitrogen status signal, auxin transport from the shoot to the root increases. High auxin levels in the root tip stimulate the production of nitric oxide, which promotes the synthesis of strigolactones to accelerate cell division. In this process, cytokinin, ethylene, and abscisic acid play an antagonistic role, while brassinosteroids and auxin play a synergistic role in regulating root elongation. Further study is required to identify the QTLs, genes, and favorable alleles which control the root elongation response to low nitrogen stress in crops.

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Fig. 1

modified from Guo 2004

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Abbreviations

N:

Nitrogen

C:

Carbon

NO3− :

Nitrate

NH4+ :

Ammonium

CTK:

Cytokinin

NO:

Nitric oxide

NR:

Nitrate reductase

ABA:

Abscisic acid

SLs:

Strigolactones

BRs:

Brassinosteroids

IAA:

Indole-3-acetic acid

NAA:

1-Naphthaleneacetic acid

NPA:

N-1-Naphthylphthalamic acid

6-BA:

6-Benzylaminopurine

SHY2:

Short hypocotyl 2

ACS:

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase

BG1:

β-Glucosidase

SCR:

SCARECROW

ABI4:

ABA INSENSITIVE 4

ABI5:

ABA INSENSITIVE 5

NOS:

Nitric oxide synthase

XOS:

Xanthine oxidase

SNP:

Sodium nitroprusside

TZ:

Transition zone

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

GWAS:

Genome-wide association study

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31672221).

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  1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, National Academy of Agriculture Green Development, Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China

    Xichao Sun, Fanjun Chen, Lixing Yuan & Guohua Mi

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Sun, X., Chen, F., Yuan, L. et al. The physiological mechanism underlying root elongation in response to nitrogen deficiency in crop plants. Planta 251, 84 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-020-03376-4

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