Enhanced OsNLP4-OsNiR cascade confers nitrogen use efficiency by promoting tiller number in rice

Increased use of nitrogen fertilizers has deleterious impact on the environment. Increase in yield potential at low nitrogen supply is regarded as a cereal breeding goal for future agricultural sustainability. Although natural variations of nitrogen transporters have been investigated, key genes associated with assimilation remain largely unexplored for nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) enhancement. Here, we identified a NIN-like protein NLP4 associated with NUE through a GWAS in rice. We found that OsNLP4 transactivated OsNiR encoding nitrite reductase that was critical in nitrogen assimilation in rice. We further constructed quadrupling NREs (Nitrate-responsive cis-elements) in the promoter of OsNiR (p4xNRE:OsNiR) and enhanced nitrogen assimilation significantly. We demonstrated that OsNLP4-OsNiR increased tiller number and yield through enhancing nitrogen assimilation and NUE. Our discovery highlights the genetic modulation of OsNLP4-OsNiR signalling cascade as a strategy for high NUE and yield breeding in rice.