Nitrogen-Driven Orchestration of Lateral Root Development: Molecular Mechanisms and Systemic Integration

Simple Summary Nitrogen (N), as a vital nutrient, intricately regulates plant root architecture, particularly lateral root (LR) development. This review highlights the dual role of N as both a signaling molecule and structural component, influencing LR initiation, growth, and patterning through molecular hubs like nitrate transporter 1.1 (NRT1.1) transporters and NIN-like protein 7 (NLP7) transcription factors. Local N availability reshapes auxin gradients and hormone crosstalk (e.g., cytokinins, ethylene), while systemic signals via C-terminally encoded peptide (CEP) coordinate shoot–root communication. Advanced imaging reveals cell-type-specific N responses, underscoring the adaptive plasticity of root systems. Understanding this regulatory network is critical for breeding crops with optimized N uptake efficiency, addressing global sustainability challenges in agriculture.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Biology

• Publication date

  2025-08-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/biology14081099PMID 40906392PMCID 12383557
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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