Concurrent Increases in Root Phosphorus Acquisition and Leaf Phosphorus Resorption Underpin Enhanced Phosphorus Economy in Chickpea During Reproductive Development.

Concurrent increases in root phosphorus acquisition and leaf phosphorus resorption enhance phosphorus economy in Cicer arietinum during reproduction, with a 28% rise in leaf P remobilization.

• Why it matters: Understanding how plants optimize phosphorus use during reproduction is vital for improving crop productivity under P-limited conditions, yet the developmental relationship between root acquisition and leaf remobilization remains unclear.
• What they did: Five chickpea accessions with contrasting P-remobilization efficiency were grown under moderate P deficiency; researchers measured root traits like rhizosheath carboxylates and acid phosphatase activity, along with leaf P-resorption and photosynthetic parameters.
• The result: Findings showed a significant increase in root P acquisition and leaf P remobilization during reproduction, with a 54% rise in root P, 28% in leaf PRE, and enhanced photosynthetic capacity, indicating coordinated strategies to improve P efficiency.