Exploring the Mechanism of Coordinated Adaptation of Root System Architecture and Phospholipid Distribution to Low-Phosphorus Environments in Phosphorus-Efficient Plants

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) is critical for plant growth and development, although available soil P is extremely limited. Plants have developed
various adaptive mechanisms, among which root system architecture remodeling for enhancing P acquisition, and phospholipid degradation
coupled with replacement by non-phosphorus lipids for maintaining internal P as two main strategies. We present here the key features of the
two strategies of plants surviving low- P conditions, by reviewing how they are exploited by plants able to tolerate low phosphorus together
and complementarily to fight phosphorus deficiency. We highlight the physiological complementarity of their action and report a convergence
of the signaling regulatory network based on PHR transcription factors and on hormones (auxin and ethylene) which makes possible a fine
regulation of "foraging" and "conservation." Furthermore, not only does a better understanding of this cooperative process in the meantime
contribute our better insight into plant nutritional acclimation capacity, more so, it can give invaluable theoretical basis for and offer clues to
future breeding of phosphorus efficient crop varieties.