Decoding gibberellin-strigolactone interaction networks in cereal crops toward a next-generation Green Revolution

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• The Green Revolution (GR) increased crop yields but led to environmental issues due to low nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE).
• Next-Generation Green Revolution (NGR) strategies aim to reduce fertilizer use in high-yield crops.
• Phytohormones gibberellins (GAs) and strigolactones (SLs) are key regulators of plant growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the success factors of the GR and current understanding of GA-SL crosstalk.
• To analyze how GA-SL interactions regulate nitrogen-responsive plant architecture and NUE.
• To provide a framework for NGR breeding programs.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on GA and SL pathways.
• Analysis of GA-SL crosstalk in modulating plant architecture and nitrogen response.
• Elucidation of plant growth and metabolism coordination for NUE and yield.

Main Results:

• GA and SL pathways significantly influence plant architecture, branching, and nitrogen response.
• Understanding GA-SL crosstalk is crucial for balancing grain yield and NUE.
• AI-driven protein engineering offers potential for precise allele pyramiding.

Conclusions:

• Optimized phytohormone regulation via GA-SL interactions is key to NGR.
• Leveraging beneficial traits and mitigating trade-offs will accelerate NGR progress.
• This framework supports sustainable agriculture through improved crop breeding.