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The interaction between nitrogen availability and auxin, cytokinin, and strigolactone in the control of shoot branching in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

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Abstract

Key message

Nitrogen availability and cytokinin could promote shoot branching in rice, whereas auxin and strigolactone inhibited it. The interaction between nitrogen availability and the three hormones is discussed.

Abstract

Rice shoot branching is strongly affected by nitrogen availability and the plant hormones auxin, cytokinin, and strigolactone; however, the interaction of them in the regulation of rice shoot branching remains a subject of debate. In the present study, nitrogen and the three hormones were used to regulate rice tiller bud growth in the indica rice variety Yangdao 6. Both nitrogen and CK promoted shoot branching in rice, whereas auxin and SL inhibited it. We used HPLC to determine the amounts of endogenous IAA and CK, and we used quantitative real-time PCR analysis to quantify the expression levels of several genes. Nitrogen enhanced the amount of CK by promoting the expression levels of OsIPTs in nodes. In addition, both nitrogen and CK downregulated the expression of genes related to SL synthesis in root and nodes, implying that the inhibition of SL synthesis by nitrogen may occur at least partially through the CK pathway. SL did not significantly reduce the amount of CK or the expression levels of OsIPT genes, but it did significantly reduce the amount of auxin and the auxin transport capacity in nodes. Auxin itself inhibited CK synthesis and promoted SL synthesis in nodes rather than in roots. Furthermore, we found that CK and SL quickly reduced and increased the expression of FC1 in buds, respectively, implying that FC1 might be a common target for the CK and SL pathways. Nitrogen and auxin delayed expression change patterns of FC1, potentially by changing the downstream signals for CK and SL.

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Abbreviations

6-BA:

6-Benzyladenine

CK:

Cytokinin

CKX:

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

iP:

Isopentenyladenine

iPR:

iP riboside

iPRMP:

iPR 5′-monophosphate

IPT:

Adenosine phosphate-isopentenyltransferase

NAA:

1-Naphthaleneacetic acid

tZ:

Trans-zeatin

tZR:

Trans-zeatin riboside

tZRMP:

tZR 5′-monophosphate

SL:

Strigolactone

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of National Science and Technology of China (Project No. 31371569), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 31071364), the Science and Technology Department of China (Project No. 2013BAD07B09), and the Science and Technology Department of Jiangsu Province (Project No. BE2014393).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Agronomy College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

      Junxu Xu, Manrong Zha, Ye Li, Yanfeng Ding, Lin Chen, Chengqiang Ding & Shaohua Wang

    2. Key Laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology in Southern China, Ministry of Agriculture, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of China

      Junxu Xu, Manrong Zha, Ye Li, Yanfeng Ding, Lin Chen, Chengqiang Ding & Shaohua Wang

    3. Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production, Nanjing, 210095, People’s Republic of China

      Yanfeng Ding & Shaohua Wang

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    1. Junxu Xu
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    Correspondence to Shaohua Wang.

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    Communicated by W. Harwood.

    J. Xu and M. Zha contributed equally to this work.

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    Xu, J., Zha, M., Li, Y. et al. The interaction between nitrogen availability and auxin, cytokinin, and strigolactone in the control of shoot branching in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Plant Cell Rep 34, 1647–1662 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-015-1815-8

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