Oxygen deficit alleviates phosphate overaccumulation toxicity in OsPHR2 overexpression plants

Overexpression of OsPHR2 increases phosphate (Pi) uptake and causes overaccumulation of Pi in rice plants, which is toxic to rice plants when they are grown in media with a sufficient Pi supply. The toxicity that results from OsPHR2 overexpression can be significantly relieved by growing the plants in a waterlogged paddy field. A comparison of the Pi uptake and growth status of OsPHR2-overexpression plants (PHR2-Oe plants) grown in paddy fields or in a laboratory setting in aerated or stagnant hydroponic conditions indicated that the oxygen limitation that is present in paddy fields and in stagnant rice culture solutions inhibits the Pi overaccumulation toxicity of PHR2-Oe plants by reducing their Pi uptake. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression of Pi-starvation-induced (PSI) genes was induced by oxygen limitation in both wild-type and PHR2-Oe plants. The induction of PSI genes is the consequence of reducing the Pi concentration in stagnant plants. Thus, when evaluating the efficiency of Pi use in rice germplasm or transgenic materials under hydroponic conditions, the impact of the low oxygen condition that exists in waterlogged paddies should be considered.