Nitrogen fertilization has increased wheat yields since the Green Revolution,but these gains have plateaued.Excessive nitrogen application reduces nitrogen use efficiency by promoting nonproductive tillers,and balanci...Nitrogen fertilization has increased wheat yields since the Green Revolution,but these gains have plateaued.Excessive nitrogen application reduces nitrogen use efficiency by promoting nonproductive tillers,and balancing nitrogen uptake with tillering in wheat remains a challenge.Here,we demonstrate that TaNLP3 is a master regulator of nitrate signaling that,together with the SWl/SNF complex,regulates chromatin accessibility to fine-tune nitrate uptake and tiller formation through a temporal transcriptional cascade.In short-term nitrate signaling,TaNLP3 activates the expression of primary nitrate response genes,including TaNRT2.1,to promote nitrate uptake.In long-term nitrate signaling,TaLBD38 is induced by TaNLP3 and represses TaNRT2.1,limiting nitrate uptake and promoting tillering by inhibiting TaCKX4/5,negative modulators of tillering.Furthermore,we identified elite haplotypes of TaNLP3-3B,TaLBD38-4A,andTaNRT2.1-6B4 that enable higher yields under equivalent nitrogen supply.Taken together,our findings reveal the dynamic coordination between nitrate uptake and tillering under fluctuating nitrogen conditions,offering valuable resources for breeding wheat varieties with improved nitrogen use efficiency and productivity.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(nos.32572386 and U22A6009)the Hebei Key Science and Technology Support Program(242Q9911Z)+3 种基金the Guiding Special Fund for Central Universities to Build World-Class Universities(Disciplines)and Promote Characteristic Development(2025AC030)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(no.2023YFF1000601)the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund(no.2025TC135)the Agricultural Science and Technology Major Project.
文摘Nitrogen fertilization has increased wheat yields since the Green Revolution,but these gains have plateaued.Excessive nitrogen application reduces nitrogen use efficiency by promoting nonproductive tillers,and balancing nitrogen uptake with tillering in wheat remains a challenge.Here,we demonstrate that TaNLP3 is a master regulator of nitrate signaling that,together with the SWl/SNF complex,regulates chromatin accessibility to fine-tune nitrate uptake and tiller formation through a temporal transcriptional cascade.In short-term nitrate signaling,TaNLP3 activates the expression of primary nitrate response genes,including TaNRT2.1,to promote nitrate uptake.In long-term nitrate signaling,TaLBD38 is induced by TaNLP3 and represses TaNRT2.1,limiting nitrate uptake and promoting tillering by inhibiting TaCKX4/5,negative modulators of tillering.Furthermore,we identified elite haplotypes of TaNLP3-3B,TaLBD38-4A,andTaNRT2.1-6B4 that enable higher yields under equivalent nitrogen supply.Taken together,our findings reveal the dynamic coordination between nitrate uptake and tillering under fluctuating nitrogen conditions,offering valuable resources for breeding wheat varieties with improved nitrogen use efficiency and productivity.
