Transcription factor OsSHR2 regulates rice architecture and yield per plant in response to nitrogen

• Published in: Planta 2024-06, Vol.259 (6), p.148-148, Article 148
• Main Authors: Hu, Zhi, Huang, Xu, Xia, Huihuang, Zhang, Zhantian, Lu, Huixin, Wang, Xiaowen, Sun, Yafei, Cui, Mengyuan, Yang, Shanshan, Kant, Surya, Xu, Guohua, Sun, Shubin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecology; Forestry; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant - drug effects; Life Sciences; Meristem - drug effects; Meristem - genetics; Meristem - growth & development; Meristems; Mutants; Mutation; Nitrogen; Nitrogen - metabolism; Nitrogen - pharmacology; Original Article; Oryza - drug effects; Oryza - genetics; Oryza - growth & development; Oryza - metabolism; Plant growth; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Roots - drug effects; Plant Roots - genetics; Plant Roots - growth & development; Plant Roots - metabolism; Plant Sciences; Reproductive organs; Rice; Transcription factors; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism
• ISSN: 0032-0935; 1432-2048
• DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04400-7

Main conclusion Mutation of OsSHR2 adversely impacted root and shoot growth and impaired plant response to N conditions, further reducing the yield per plant. Nitrogen (N) is a crucial factor that regulates the plant architecture. There is still a lack of research on it. In our study, it was observed that the knockout of the SHORTROOT 2 ( OsSHR2 ) which was induced by N deficiency, can significantly affect the regulation of plant architecture response to N in rice. Under N deficiency, the mutation of OsSHR2 significantly reduced root growth, and impaired the sensitivity of the root meristem length to N deficiency. The mutants were found to have approximately a 15% reduction in plant height compared to wild type. But mutants showed a significant increase in tillering at post-heading stage, approximately 26% more than the wild type, particularly in high N conditions. In addition, due to reduced seed setting rate and 1000-grain weight, mutant yield was significantly decreased by approximately 33% under low N fertilizer supply. The mutation also changed the distribution of N between the vegetative and reproductive organs. Our findings suggest that the transcription factor OsSHR2 plays a regulatory role in the response of plant architecture and yield per plant to N in rice.