Nitrogen in plants: from nutrition to the modulation of abiotic stress adaptation

Abstract

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrient for plant growth and development; it is strongly associated with a variety of abiotic stress responses. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved to develop efficient strategies to manage N to support growth when exposed to a diverse range of stressors. This review summarizes the recent progress in the field of plant nitrate (NO₃ ^-) and ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) uptake, which are the two major forms of N that are absorbed by plants. We explore the intricate relationship between NO₃ ^-/NH₄ ⁺ and abiotic stress responses in plants, focusing on stresses from nutrient deficiencies, unfavorable pH, ions, and drought. Although many molecular details remain unclear, research has revealed a number of core signaling regulators that are associated with N-mediated abiotic stress responses. An in-depth understanding and exploration of the molecular processes that underpin the interactions between N and abiotic stresses is useful in the design of effective strategies to improve crop growth, development, and productivity.

Keywords

Nitrate / Ammonium / Uptake / Signaling / Abiotic stress

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Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LZ21D010001)