Jasmonates Regulate Auxin-Mediated Root Growth Inhibition in Response to Rhizospheric pH in Arabidopsis thaliana

Rhizospheric pH, an important environmental cue, severely impacts plant growth and fitness, therefore, has emerged as a major determinant of crop productivity. Despite numerous attempts, the key questions related to plants response against rhizospheric pH remains largely elusive. The present study provides a mechanistic framework for rhizospheric pH-mediated root growth inhibition (RGI). Utilizing various genetic resources combined with pharmacological agents and high-resolution confocal microscopy, the study provides direct evidence for the involvement of jasmonates and auxin in rhizospheric pH-mediated RGI. We show that auxin maxima at root tip is tightly regulated by the rhizospheric pH. In contrast, jasmonates (JAs) abundance inversely correlates with rhizospheric pH. Furthermore, JA-mediated regulation of auxin maxima through GRETCHEN HAGEN 3 (GH3) family genes explains the pattern of RGI observed over the range of rhizospheric pH. Our findings revealed auxin as the key regulator of RGI during severe pH conditions, while JAs antagonistically regulate auxin response against rhizospheric pH.