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Modulating plant growth–metabolism coordination for sustainable agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • Shan Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yonghang Tian

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Kun Wu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yafeng Ye

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jianping Yu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jianqing Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qian Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Mengyun Hu

    (Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences)

  • Hui Li

    (Institute of Cereal and Oil Crops, Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences)

  • Yiping Tong

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Nicholas P. Harberd

    (University of Oxford)

  • Xiangdong Fu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Enhancing global food security by increasing the productivity of green revolution varieties of cereals risks increasing the collateral environmental damage produced by inorganic nitrogen fertilizers. Improvements in the efficiency of nitrogen use of crops are therefore essential; however, they require an in-depth understanding of the co-regulatory mechanisms that integrate growth, nitrogen assimilation and carbon fixation. Here we show that the balanced opposing activities and physical interactions of the rice GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR 4 (GRF4) transcription factor and the growth inhibitor DELLA confer homeostatic co-regulation of growth and the metabolism of carbon and nitrogen. GRF4 promotes and integrates nitrogen assimilation, carbon fixation and growth, whereas DELLA inhibits these processes. As a consequence, the accumulation of DELLA that is characteristic of green revolution varieties confers not only yield-enhancing dwarfism, but also reduces the efficiency of nitrogen use. However, the nitrogen-use efficiency of green revolution varieties and grain yield are increased by tipping the GRF4–DELLA balance towards increased GRF4 abundance. Modulation of plant growth and metabolic co-regulation thus enables novel breeding strategies for future sustainable food security and a new green revolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Shan Li & Yonghang Tian & Kun Wu & Yafeng Ye & Jianping Yu & Jianqing Zhang & Qian Liu & Mengyun Hu & Hui Li & Yiping Tong & Nicholas P. Harberd & Xiangdong Fu, 2018. "Modulating plant growth–metabolism coordination for sustainable agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 560(7720), pages 595-600, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:560:y:2018:i:7720:d:10.1038_s41586-018-0415-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0415-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Liang, Shuoshuo & Li, Lu & An, Ping & Chen, Suying & Shao, Liwei & Zhang, Xiying, 2021. "Spatial soil water and nutrient distribution affecting the water productivity of winter wheat," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    2. Shichen Li & Zhihui Sun & Qing Sang & Chao Qin & Lingping Kong & Xin Huang & Huan Liu & Tong Su & Haiyang Li & Milan He & Chao Fang & Lingshuang Wang & Shuangrong Liu & Bin Liu & Baohui Liu & Xiangdon, 2023. "Soybean reduced internode 1 determines internode length and improves grain yield at dense planting," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Sandeep Gawdiya & Dinesh Kumar & Yashbir S. Shivay & Arti Bhatia & Shweta Mehrotra & Mandapelli Sharath Chandra & Anita Kumawat & Rajesh Kumar & Adam H. Price & Nandula Raghuram & Himanshu Pathak & Ma, 2023. "Field-Based Evaluation of Rice Genotypes for Enhanced Growth, Yield Attributes, Yield and Grain Yield Efficiency Index in Irrigated Lowlands of the Indo-Gangetic Plains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Stacia Stetkiewicz & Jonathan Menary & Abhishek Nair & Mariana Rufino & Arnout R.H. Fischer & Marc Cornelissen & Remi Duchesne & Adrien Guichaoua & Petra Jorasch & Stephane Lemarié & Amrit Nanda & Ral, 2023. "Crop improvements for future‐proofing European food systems: A focus‐group‐driven analysis of agricultural production stakeholder priorities and viewpoints," Post-Print hal-04047917, HAL.
    5. Han Yang & Yafei Li & Yiwei Cao & Wenqing Shi & En Xie & Na Mu & Guijie Du & Yi Shen & Ding Tang & Zhukuan Cheng, 2022. "Nitrogen nutrition contributes to plant fertility by affecting meiosis initiation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.

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