An Update on Nitric Oxide Production and Role Under Phosphorus Scarcity in Plants.

Phosphate (P) is characterized by its low availability and restricted mobility in soils, and also by a high redistribution capacity inside plants. In order to maintain P homeostasis in nutrient restricted conditions, plants have developed mechanisms which enable P acquisition from the soil solution, and an efficient reutilization of P already present in plant cells. Nitric oxide (NO) is a bioactive molecule with a plethora of functions in plants.

Nitric oxide and plant mineral nutrition: current knowledge.

Plants under conditions of essential mineral deficiency trigger signaling mechanisms that involve common components. Among these components, nitric oxide (NO) has been identified as a key participant in responses to changes in nutrient availability. Usually, nutrient imbalances affect the levels of NO in specific plant tissues, via modification of its rate of synthesis or degradation.

Key acclimation responses to phosphorus deficiency in maize plants are influenced by exogenous nitric oxide.

Improving phosphorus (P) acquisition and utilization in crops is of great importance in order to achieve a good plant nutritional state and maximize biomass production while minimizing the addition of fertilizers, and the concomitant risk of eutrophication. This study explores to which extent key processes involved in P-acquisition, and other acclimation mechanisms to low P supply in maize (Zea mays L.) plants, are affected by the addition of a nitric oxide (NO) donor (S-nitrosoglutathione, GSNO).

Plant Survival in a Changing Environment: The Role of Nitric Oxide in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress.

Nitric oxide in plants may originate endogenously or come from surrounding atmosphere and soil. Interestingly, this gaseous free radical is far from having a constant level and varies greatly among tissues depending on a given plant's ontogeny and environmental fluctuations. Proper plant growth, vegetative development, and reproduction require the integration of plant hormonal activity with the antioxidant network, as well as the maintenance of concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within a narrow range.