Sphingobium yanoikuyae 41R9 Enhances Nitrogen Uptake by Modulating Transporter Genes and Root Development in Rapeseed.

Sphingobium yanoikuyae 41R9 significantly enhances nitrogen uptake and root development in rapeseed, with a 15N tracer confirming increased N translocation in roots.

• Why it matters: Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops is crucial for sustainable agriculture, but the regulatory mechanisms of PGPRs like Sphingobium species remain unclear, limiting their application.
• What they did: Researchers isolated strain 41R9 from N-deficient rapeseed rhizosphere, performed genomic analysis, 15N tracer experiments, transcriptome profiling, and metabolomic assays to investigate its effects on N uptake and root growth.
• The result: Strain 41R9 upregulated N transporter genes (NRT2.5 and SLAH1/3), maintained jasmonic acid homeostasis, and was chemotactic to kaempferol, collectively improving N acquisition and suggesting mechanisms for PGPR-driven NUE enhancement.