A significant P value: How phosphorus controls plant height

Abstract

Phosphorus plays key roles in photosynthesis, respiration, development, reproduction, and the biosynthesis of membranes and nucleic acids (Lambers 2022). Modern agriculture is highly dependent on inorganic phosphorus (Pi). Soil Pi deficiency induces a series of physiological changes and can affect plant architecture, including plant height. However, the molecular mechanism governing Pi-regulated plant height remains largely unknown. Taller rice plants tend to fall over in strong winds and heavy rains, a phenomenon known as lodging. Amid climate change and more extreme weather events, such as cyclones, typhoons, and heavy rains, crop lodging often leads to yield loss. Plant height is intricately linked with resistance to lodging and yield. During the Green Revolution, the improvement in yield for rice and wheat was attributed to changes in plant architecture, specifically a reduction in plant height linked to lodging resistance. Although semi-dwarf rice varieties have played a significant role in feeding the world over the last 50 years, shallow lowland and semi-deep ecologies demand rice varieties with tall heights and lodging resistance.