Modeling of Root Nitrate Responses Suggests Preferential Foraging Arises From the Integration of Demand, Supply and Local Presence Signals

Boer, Meine D; Teixeira, Joana Santos; Tusscher, Kirsten H. ten

doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.00708

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In contrast to our simulated plants, real plants react to temporal and spatial heterogeneity of nutrients in the soil with a myriad root physiological and morphological responses (Hodge, 2004 ). These responses integrate both local and systemic signals (Boer et al ., 2020 ) and are strong determinants of the plant’s competitive ability under nutrient‐limiting conditions (Fort et al ., 2014 ). Root architectural responses to maximize P acquisition include a highly branched root system (Niu et al ., 2013 ) and long root hairs (Bates & Lynch, 1996 ), while a sparsely branched root system is optimal for the acquisition of N (Lynch, 2013 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycorrhizal associations change root functionality: a 3D modelling study on competitive interactions between plants for light and nutrients

et al. 2021

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Recent studies show that the variation in root functional traits can be explained by a twodimensional trait framework, containing a 'collaboration' axis in addition to the classical fastslow 'conservation' axis. This collaboration axis spans from thin and highly branched roots that employ a 'do-it-yourself' strategy to thick and sparsely branched roots that 'outsource' nutrient uptake to symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).Here, we explore the functionality of this collaboration axis by quantifying how interactions with AMF change the impact of root traits on plant performance. To this end, we developed a novel functional-structural plant (FSP) modelling approach that simulates plants competing for light and nutrients in the presence or absence of AMF.Our simulation results support the notion that in the absence of AMF, plants rely on thin, highly branched roots for their nutrient uptake. The presence of AMF, however, promotes thick, unbranched roots as an alternative strategy for uptake of immobile phosphorus, but not for mobile nitrogen.This provides further support for a root trait framework that accommodates for the interactive effect of roots and AMF. Our modelling study offers unique opportunities to incorporate soil microbial interactions into root functionality as it integrates consequences of belowground trait expression.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mycorrhizal associations change root functionality: a 3D modelling study on competitive interactions between plants for light and nutrients

et al. 2021

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“…Plants can modulate their NO 3 – uptake, storage, and assimilation according to the internal and external spatio-temporal changes in N status by modulating the type, number, spatial pattern, and affinity of hundreds of genes expressing NO 3 – transporters ( Forde, 2002 ; Orsel et al, 2002 ; Bouguyon et al, 2012 ; Boer et al, 2020 ) in addition to extensively re-shaping the root system architecture (RSA) ( Aibara and Miwa, 2014 ). In fact, low N status can upregulate NO 3 – uptake system ( Nacry et al, 2013 ) and modify plant root architecture, increasing root length, density, and branching, thus resulting in a “nutrient acquisition response” improving NUE.…”

Section: Nitrate Effect On the Root Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other locally applied N sources, like NH 4 + , can promote lateral root branching but not elongation ( Lima et al, 2010 ), proving that NO 3 acts as a signal probably interacting and/or interfering with auxin response pathways ( Zhang et al, 1999 ). The phenotypic plasticity of plants, which makes roots to grow preferentially toward NO 3 – -richer zones at low NO 3 – , is termed “root foraging”; whereas NO 3 – has been defined as an “environmental morphogen” for its ability to modulate the root architecture and root foraging ( Giehl and von Wirén, 2014 ; Guan et al, 2014 ; Boer et al, 2020 ). The foraging response at low NO 3 – that entails root growth is exerted through the overexpression of the (i) TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE-RELATED PROTEIN 2 (TAR2), involved in local auxin biosynthesis; (ii)WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASE 4 (WAK4); and iii) MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE4/P-GLYCOPROTEIN 4 (MDR4/PGP4), a downstream transporter of auxin ( Giehl and von Wirén, 2014 ; Ma et al, 2014 ; Sun et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Nitrate Effect On the Root Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrate Uptake and Use Efficiency: Pros and Cons of Chloride Interference in the Vegetable Crops

Carillo

Rouphael²

2022

Front. Plant Sci.

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Over the past five decades, nitrogen (N) fertilization has been an essential tool for boosting crop productivity in agricultural systems. To avoid N pollution while preserving the crop yields and profit margins for farmers, the scientific community is searching for eco-sustainable strategies aimed at increasing plants’ nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The present article provides a refined definition of the NUE based on the two important physiological factors (N-uptake and N-utilization efficiency). The diverse molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the processes of N assimilation, translocation, transport, accumulation, and reallocation are revisited and critically discussed. The review concludes by examining the N uptake and NUE in tandem with chloride stress and eustress, the latter being a new approach toward enhancing productivity and functional quality of the horticultural crops, particularly facilitated by soilless cultivation.

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“…As an example, more lateral roots branch off where nutrient levels are higher, yet this response to local soil conditions depends both on how much the plant is in need of that nutrient and the extent to which other parts of the root system have failed to locate this nutrient. This integration of local, systemic and long range information depends on the status storage in the local plant organ as well as on the transport of systemic and long-distance signals through the vasculature (Boer et al, 2020 ; Guan, 2017 ). In contrast, the continuous moving and mixing of ants in an ant colony makes it impossible to store locational or directional information internally in groups of ants themselves.…”

Section: Facets Of Embodimentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Embodiment in distributed information processing: “Solid” plants versus “liquid” ant colonies

2022

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Information processing is an essential part of biology, enabling coordination of intra-organismal processes such as development, environmental adaptation and inter-organismal communication. Whilst in animals with specialised brain tissue a substantial amount of information processing occurs in a centralised manner, most biological computing is distributed across multiple entities, such as cells in a tissue, roots in a root system or ants in a colony. Physical context, called embodiment, also affects the nature of biological computing. While plants and ant colonies both perform distributed computing, in plants the units occupy fixed positions while individual ants move around. This distinction, solid versus liquid brain computing, shapes the nature of computations. Here we compare information processing in plants and ant colonies, highlighting how similarities and differences originate in, as well as make use of, the differences in embodiment. We end with a discussion on how this embodiment perspective may inform the debate on plant cognition.

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Modeling of Root Nitrate Responses Suggests Preferential Foraging Arises From the Integration of Demand, Supply and Local Presence Signals

Cited by 11 publications

References 58 publications

Mycorrhizal associations change root functionality: a 3D modelling study on competitive interactions between plants for light and nutrients

Mycorrhizal associations change root functionality: a 3D modelling study on competitive interactions between plants for light and nutrients

Nitrate Uptake and Use Efficiency: Pros and Cons of Chloride Interference in the Vegetable Crops

Embodiment in distributed information processing: “Solid” plants versus “liquid” ant colonies

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