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Updated: Jan 13, 2026
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Hydroponics: A Versatile System to Study Nutrient Allocation and Plant Responses to Nutrient Availability and Exposure to Toxic Elements
Published on: July 13, 2016
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Coordinated systemic regulation maintains plant nutrient homeostasis
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Plant Physiology
|January 11, 2026
Summary
Plants maintain nutrient balance by coordinating root uptake with shoot photosynthesis through long-distance signaling. This ensures optimal growth and adaptation in changing environments.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Physiology
- Environmental Adaptation
Background:
- Plant survival hinges on nutrient homeostasis, balancing local availability with whole-plant needs.
- Molecular mechanisms of local nutrient sensing are known, but systemic regulation remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in understanding systemic regulation of plant nutrient homeostasis.
- To explore how plants coordinate shoot photosynthesis with root nutrient absorption for growth.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing recent research on plant nutrient signaling.
- Analysis of long-distance communication systems and mobile signals in plant vasculature.
Main Results:
- Plants integrate shoot photosynthetic activity with root mineral uptake for optimized growth.
- Vascular transport of mobile signals synchronizes root acquisition with shoot status and development.
Conclusions:
- Complex regulatory mechanisms balance plant growth with environmental adaptation.
- Systemic signaling networks are crucial for maintaining nutrient homeostasis under fluctuating conditions.
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