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Updated: Mar 20, 2026

Lateral Root Inducible System in Arabidopsis and Maize
Published on: January 14, 2016
The Nitrification Inhibitor Methyl 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)Propionate Modulates Root Development by Interfering with Auxin
Yangyang Liu1, Ruling Wang1, Ping Zhang1
1Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resources and Sustainable Use, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China (Y.L., R.W., P.Z., Q.L., J.X.);Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China (Q.C.); andCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China (Y.Z.).
Abstract:
Methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (MHPP) is a root exudate that functions as a nitrification inhibitor and as a modulator of the root system architecture (RSA) by inhibiting primary root (PR) elongation and promoting lateral root formation. However, the mechanism underlying MHPP-mediated modulation of the RSA remains unclear. Here, we report that MHPP inhibits PR elongation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by elevating the levels of auxin expression and signaling. MHPP induces an increase in auxin levels by up-regulating auxin biosynthesis, altering the expression of auxin carriers, and promoting the degradation of the auxin/indole-3-acetic acid family of transcriptional repressors. We found that MHPP-induced nitric oxide (NO) production promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in root tips. Suppressing the accumulation of NO or ROS alleviated the inhibitory effect of MHPP on PR elongation by weakening auxin responses and perception and by affecting meristematic cell division potential. Genetic analysis supported the phenotype described above. Taken together, our results indicate that MHPP modulates RSA remodeling via the NO/ROS-mediated auxin response pathway in Arabidopsis. Our study also revealed that MHPP significantly induced the accumulation of glucosinolates in roots, suggesting the diverse functions of MHPP in modulating plant growth, development, and stress tolerance in plants.
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