Transporters and transcription factors gene families involved in improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and assimilation in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Tahmina Nazish, Mamoona Arshad, Sami Ullah Jan, Ayesha Javaid, Muhammad Hassaan Khan, Muhammad Afzal Naeem, Muhammad Baber & Mohsin Ali

Nitrogen (N) as a macronutrient is an important determinant of plant growth. The excessive usage of chemical fertilizers is increasing environmental pollution; hence, the improvement of crop’s nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is imperative for sustainable agriculture. N uptake, transportation, assimilation, and remobilization are four important determinants of plant NUE. Oryza sativa L. (rice) is a staple food for approximately half of the human population, around the globe and improvement in rice yield is pivotal for rice breeders. The N transporters, enzymes indulged in N assimilation, and several transcription factors affect the rice NUE and subsequent yield. Although, a couple of improvements have been made regarding rice NUE, the knowledge about regulatory mechanisms operating NUE is scarce. The current review provides a precise knowledge of how rice plants detect soil N and how this detection is translated into the language of responses that regulate the growth. Additionally, the transcription factors that control N-associated genes in rice are discussed in detail. This mechanistic insight will help the researchers to improve rice yield with minimized use of chemical fertilizers.

See: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11248-021-00284-5