AUTHOR=Li Lijie , Li Qian , Davis Kyle E. , Patterson Caitlin , Oo Sando , Liu Wanying , Liu Jia , Wang Guo , Fontana Julia Elise , Thornburg Thomas Elliott , Pratt Isaac Seth , Li Fei , Zhang Zhiyong , Zhou Yanzhong , Pan Xiaoping , Zhang Baohong TITLE=Response of Root Growth and Development to Nitrogen and Potassium Deficiency as well as microRNA-Mediated Mechanism in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.695234 DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.695234 ISSN=1664-462X ABSTRACT=

The mechanism of miRNA-mediated root growth and development in response to nutrient deficiency in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is still unclear. In the present study, we found that both nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) deficiency resulted in a significant reduction in plant growth, as indicated by the significantly decreased dry weight of both shoot and root tissues under N or K deficiency. Both N and K deficiency significantly reduced the root length, root surface area, root volume, root vitality, and weakened root respiration, as indicated by the reduced O2 consuming rate. N deficiency significantly decreased primary root length and lateral root number, which might be associated with the upregulation of miR160, miR167, miR393, and miR396, and the downregulation of AFB3 and GRF. The primary and lateral root responses to K deficiency were opposite to that of the N deficiency condition. The upregulated miR156, miR390, NAC4, ARF2, and AFB3, and the downregulated miR160, miR164, miR393, and SPL10 may have contributed to the growth of primary roots and lateral roots under K deficiency. Overall, roots responded differently to the N or K deficiency stresses in peanuts, potentially due to the miRNA-mediated pathway and mechanism.