Interplay between ethylene and nitrogen nutrition: how ethylene orchestrates nitrogen responses in plants

Biao Ma,Tian Ma,Wenhao Xian,Bin Hu,Chengcai Chu

Journal of integrative plant biology

DOI:10.1111/jipb.13355

The stress hormone ethylene plays a key role in plant adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Nitrogen (N) is the most quantitatively required mineral nutrient for plants, and its availability is a major determinant for crop production. Changes in N availability or N forms can alter ethylene biosynthesis and/or signaling. Ethylene serves as an important cellular signal to mediate root system architecture (RSA) adaptation, N uptake and translocation, ammonium toxicity, anthocyanin accumulation, and premature senescence, thereby adapting plant growth and development to external N status. Here, we review the ethylene-mediated morphological and physiological responses and highlight how ethylene transduces the N signals to the adaptive responses. We specifically discuss the N-ethylene relations in rice, an important cereal crop in which ethylene is essential for its hypoxia survival. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.